The Globe and Laurel restaurant will celebrate its grand opening in Stafford with a reception on Friday, June 6, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. The reception will take place at the Globe and Laurel’s new location in Stafford at 3987 Jefferson Davis Highway, just south of the southern gate of the Quantico Marine Corps Base.  Guests must register at http://www.qgca.org/events_theglobeandlaurel.html.

The Globe and Laurel is known throughout the world for its fine dining experience steeped in the historic traditions of the U.S. Marine Corps. For 33 years, it was located just outside the main gate of Quantico Marine Corps Base, Va. But a road-widening project on Jefferson Davis Highway prompted the restaurant and several other nearby businesses to shut down or relocate. The Stafford Economic Development Authority worked with the Globe and Laurel’s owner, retired U.S. Marine Major Richard Spooner, to find a location that was convenient for the many visitors who have turned the restaurant into a can’t-miss destination among Marines and the law enforcement community.

“We are honored to be able to help the Globe and Laurel carry on the legacy of the Marine Corps,” said Stafford Economic Development Director Tim Baroody. “We are also excited about its potential here in Stafford. It is at a prime location at the $300 million Quantico Corporate Center, and we are confident that it will continue to draw visitors from offices located at the center, the U.S. Marine Corps Base and the Museum, which is situated just 500 yards to the north.” 

Major Spooner and his staff spent several months renovating the building that was the former home for the restaurants, The Keep and Filly’s. They moved all of the memorabilia from the former Globe and Laurel building to the new location. These include displays of military memorabilia dating from before the Civil War, displays that trace the evolution of the U.S. Marine emblem from is beginning to the present; and insignia displays from Marines around the world. Also making the move was the unique collection of civil police shoulder patches that covered the ceiling of the restaurant’s former building. The collection is thought to be one of the largest in the world.

The cost for the grand opening reception is $30 for an individual and $50 per couple. For more information, please call Wendy Surman of the Economic Development Authority at (540) 903-0191.

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