Bill Text: VA SJR421 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of Thomas Pierce Power.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2019-02-23 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ421ER) [SJR421 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2019-SJR421-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, Thomas Pierce Power, a beloved husband and father and a respected Williamsburg resident who won legions of loyal customers as the owner of the popular business The Cheese Shop, died on June 13, 2017; and
WHEREAS, a native of St. Louis, Thomas "Tom" Power moved to Norfolk as a child and graduated from Granby High School; after attending Spring Hill College in Alabama, he served in the United States Marine Corps and then worked in real estate before starting a nine-year career as a salesman with National Cash Register; and
WHEREAS, while working as a salesman in Baltimore, Tom Power developed an interest in small business; along with his wife and business partner, Mary Ellen, he relocated to Newport News in 1971 and opened a small shop that sold imported cheese and wine; and
WHEREAS, Tom Power's keen business sense and commitment to customer service helped make his Newport News business a success; in 1973, he and Mary Ellen opened a second Cheese Shop in Williamsburg; and
WHEREAS, Tom Power's second Cheese Shop was even more popular than his first, and it soon became a Williamsburg institution known for its friendly staff, gourmet sandwiches, fine cheeses, bread ends, and signature house dressing; and
WHEREAS, in 1980, Tom Power opened another successful business when he cofounded The Trellis Restaurant, an award-winning dining establishment in Williamsburg; he and Mary Ellen remained involved with the business until 1994, when they sold their interest; and
WHEREAS, in 2003, Tom and Mary Ellen Power relocated the Williamsburg Cheese Shop to a larger space one block away; the new location included a restaurant, Fat Canary, as well as a cheese shop and wine cellar, and was operated along with the couple's three adult children; and
WHEREAS, during his more than 45-year career in business, Tom Power won the love and respect of the Williamsburg community and received several honors, including a 2016 induction into the Specialty Food Association Hall of Fame; in addition, his Fat Canary restaurant has been awarded AAA's Four Diamond Award and has twice been listed as one of the top 100 restaurants in the nation by OpenTable, and he and Mary Ellen received The College of William and Mary's 2017 Prentis Award together; and
WHEREAS, Tom Power will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 56 years, Mary Ellen; his children, Mary Ellen, Cathy, and Thomas, Jr., and their families; and countless other family members, friends, and members of the Williamsburg community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Thomas Pierce Power, a dedicated business owner who served the residents of Williamsburg with honesty, integrity, and kindness; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Thomas Pierce Power as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.
