The Waterford Crystal factory in Waterford, Ireland, closed on Jan. 30, 2009. The company is looking for a buyer or financing. Workers at the factory staged a sit-in protest over the closure.
When it was open, more than 300,000 visitors a year took the factory tour. Strangely, at press time, the Waterford website (www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com) did not indicate the closure.