Historic Williamsburg

34. Nicolson Store

Williamsburg, VA

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The Nicolson Shop was constructed around 1750. It is named after Robert Nicolson, a local shopkeeper who established a general store, post office and tailor's shop on Duke of Gloucester Street in 1773. The narrow two-story building most likely had a living space on the upper floor and a showroom on the lower story, which was a common practice in the 1700s. The Nicolson Shop remained a separate building until around 1815, but became incorporated into a neighboring structure during the early nineteenth century. Fortunately, much of the original form of the building still remained beneath the modern additions. Much of the interior structure is also original - so authentic, in fact, that samples of eighteenth century wallpaper were still evident on one wall when the renovation process began. Colonial Williamsburg restored the Nicolson Shop to its colonial appearance between 1949 and 1950.