Williamsburg's College Delly won't be a Starbucks

Here's one for the alums of Their Majesties' Royall Colledge of William and Mary in Virginia: The Delly has been saved.

The College Delly, that is.

Back story: Last September, a plan filed with the Williamsburg Architectural Review Board provided a shock: Starbucks was going to buy The College Delly, and turn it into...well, a Starbucks.

The spelling-challenged Delly, at its current location since 1976, is a W&M institution. It's a place to get a sandwich, to go on a casual and cheap date, to see and be seen. After the Starbucks announcement, someone started a Facebook group seeking to save The Delly. Current students started an online petition. Alums moaned and groaned, figuring each trip to Williamsburg and The Delly might be the last.

Well, fall gave way to winter, and The Delly still was there. Come spring...still there.

Happy news in The Daily Press today: The owner of The Delly, Dean Tsamouras, has sold to a local businessman, Jerry Tsitsidopoulos, who plans to keep The Delly as a restaurant and sandwich shop. The closing was held last night at the office of Williamsburg lawyer John Konstaninou.