LAKEWOOD, Ohio—In a bright orange kettle, Richard Read prepared a cup of tea.
“Perfect for this time. Perfect way to relax,” Read said.
Read, the owner of Griffin Cider House and Gin Bar, gathered all the British basics for an event that he hosted on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. The event memorialized Queen Elizabeth II with a special drink menu and allowed mourners to unite in their grief at his bar.
“I want to dedicate something to the life and the history of our late Queen Elizabeth II,” Read said. “She was a good lady, and she’s always been there, ever since I was a boy.”
Read considered the queen a symbol of British culture, so he said it was hard for him to grasp the news of her passing on Sept. 8, 2022.
“When I heard that the letter was being passed around people at parliament, I had a horrible feeling in my gut,” Read said. “And the next moment came that London Bridge was down, and that is our code to indicate that the queen has passed. It was a big hit.”
The bar owner left England more than 16 years ago, but said he still vividly recalls encounters with the British royal family.
“Princess Anne, the queen’s only daughter, she came to visit my school,” Read said.
Back stateside, Read added that he’s grateful to share these memories with his new countrymen over some of the queen’s favorite cocktails.
“I think in many ways she was a matriarchal figure to people,” Read said. “For me, it’s almost like I lost a grandmother.”
Read woke up early to pay his respects to the queen by watching her funeral on Monday, Sept. 19. However, he admitted he’s a bit anxious to see how the next era of the monarchy will unfold with King Charles III at the helm.
“He has some pretty big boots to fill, doesn’t he? But I think he’ll do all right,” Read said.
