Bewley's

{{Infobox company

| name = Bewley's Limited

| logo = BEWLEYS_Logo.jpg

| type = Limited

| industry = Beverages

| foundation = {{start date and age|df=yes|1840}} in Dublin, Ireland

| founders = {{plainlist|

Samuel Bewley
Charles Bewley

}}

| revenue = €170 Million{{cite web|url=https://www.bewleys.com/ie/about-us/our-company/|title=Brewley's Today|year=2019|accessdate=June 7, 2019}}

| revenue_year = 2019

| location =Northern Cross, Malahide Road, Dublin, Ireland

| products = Coffee, tea

| parent = Bewley's Ltd

| website = {{url|https://www.bewleys.com/ie/}}

}}

Bewley's is an Irish hot beverage company, located in Dublin and founded in 1840, which operates internationally. Its primary business operations are the production of tea and coffee, and the operations of cafés. Bewley's has operations in Ireland, the UK and the United States; in the Boston area under the Rebecca's Cafe name and in California as Java City.

History

The Bewley family were Quakers who originated in Cumberland and moved to Ireland in the 17th century.{{cite book |author = Bewley, Edmund Thomas | title = The Bewleys of Cumberland and their Irish and other descendants | publisher = William McGee | place = Dublin | year = 1902 | url = https://archive.org/details/bewleysofcumberl00bewl/page/n4 }} They entered the tea trade, and in 1835, Samuel Bewley and his son Charles landed 2,099 chests of tea shipped from Canton in China.{{cite web|url = https://www.bewleys.com/ie/about-us/our-heritage/ | title = Bewleys - About us - Our heritage | publisher = Bewleys.com | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20171104163342/https://www.bewleys.com/ie/about-us/our-heritage/ | archivedate = 4 November 2017 | quote = "[In 1835] Bewley and his son Charles import 2,099 chests of tea directly from Canton in China to Dublin on the clipper ship The Hellas, thereby breaking the East India Tea Company's monopoly [...in 1927] Ernest Bewley opens Bewley's Grafton Street Café"}} The Bewley family subsequently expanded into the coffee trade and in the late 19th century, they opened cafes in South Great George's Street in 1894, and Westmoreland Street in 1896. The flagship Grafton Street café was opened by Ernest Bewley in 1927. The Grafton Street building had once housed Whyte's Academy, a school whose pupils included the Duke of Wellington and Robert Emmet.{{cite news|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/bewley-s-iconic-grafton-street-cafe-closes-its-doors-for-refurbishment-1.2119346 | publisher = Irish Times | date= 27 February 2015 | accessdate = 4 November 2017 | title = Bewley's iconic Grafton Street cafe closes its doors for refurbishment | quote = "The upper floors of the [Bewley's Grafton Street] building once housed Whyte’s Academy, a grammar school established in 1758, with former pupils including Thomas Moore, Robert Emmet and the Duke of Wellington" }}

In 1986 the company was taken over by Campbell Catering{{cite web |last1=Coogan |first1=Ann |title=Inside the small world of Bewley's boss Paddy |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/herald/inside-the-small-world-of-bewleys-boss-paddy/29308909.html |website=Independent.ie |access-date=20 February 2024 |language=en |date=30 May 2013}} forming the Campbell Bewley Group. By 1999, the company operated more than twenty cafes in Ireland and six overseas.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sKhJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JQ4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1421%2C520742 |title=Bowler's provides refuge |first=Dierdre |last=Fleming |work=Bangor Daily News |page=C6 |date=16 July 1999 |accessdate=10 June 2016}} In 2010 they employed around 800 people worldwide,{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/business/bewley-group-made-profit-of-1-6m-last-year-1.669657 |title=Bewley group made profit of €1.6m last year |first=Laura |last=Slattery |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=29 October 2010 |accessdate=10 June 2016}} although 140 jobs were lost in early 2015 with the closure of the Bewley's Oriental Café on Grafton Street in Dublin. In May 2018, Bewley's launched 100% recyclable cups.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newstalk.com/Bewleys-launch-100-recyclable-and-compostable-takeaway-cups|title=Bewley's launch 100% recyclable and compostable takeaway cups|work=newstalk.com|access-date=2018-10-01|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|url=https://marketing.ie/bewleys-coffee-cups-now-fully-recyclable/|title=Bewley's coffee to-go cups now fully recyclable {{!}} Marketing.ie|website=marketing.ie|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-01}}

Branches

=Bewley's Grafton Street=

Image:Bewleys shop front.JPG

The company has operated a café on Dublin's Grafton Street since 1927. Sometimes described as a "Dublin landmark"{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/life/food-drink/food-news/bewleys-cafe-on-grafton-street-shuts-its-doors-for-six-months-this-afternoon-31027830.html |title=Bewley's Cafe on Grafton Street shuts its doors for six months this afternoon |first=Patricia |last=Murphy |work=Irish Independent |date=27 February 2015 |accessdate=10 June 2016}} the building shows influence from the Art Deco movement, with its façade decorated with an Egyptian Revival mosaic, a style rare in Dublin. It was designed by the Dublin architectural firm, Millar & Symes.{{Cite web|last=|date=6 October 2015|title=Bewley's Oriental Cafes, 78-79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2, DUBLIN|url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/50920036/bewleys-oriental-cafes-78-79-grafton-street-dublin-2-dublin|access-date=2022-02-07|website=Buildings of Ireland|language=en-US}} In the interior, there are stained glass windows by Harry Clarke showing orders of architecture. The windows are on the ground floor towards the back of the building.{{Cite web|last=Fallon|first=Donal|date=9 May 2020|title=Remembering Bewley's: Once 'the heart and the hearth of Dublin'|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/bewleys-grafton-street-5094430-May2020/|access-date=2022-02-07|website=TheJournal.ie|language=en}} A stained glass window by artist Jim Fitzpatrick from the Mary Street branch was stored after its closure and then transferred to the remaining Grafton Street branch.{{cite news|last=Falvey|first=Deirdre|date=28 March 2019|title=Ever looked up at Bewley's on Grafton Street? Here's what you're missing|publisher=Irish Times|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/ever-looked-up-at-bewley-s-on-grafton-street-here-s-what-you-re-missing-1.3840394|accessdate=9 January 2020}} A third stained glass artist's work is included in the Grafton Street store, a window by Pauline Bewick entitled Cafe Society. The building was modified extensively in 1995.

This outlet was closed between November 2004 and May 2005 for refurbishment and restoration.{{cite news|url = http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/1130/bewleys.html | publisher = RTÉ News | title = Bewley's cafés in Dublin close | date = 1 December 2004 }} In 2007, its lease was challenged by the landlord, Ickendel Limited, after extensive works were carried out without landlord consent.{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/bewleys-will-fight-bid-to-take-away-its-lease-58806.html |title=Bewley's will fight bid to take away its lease |first=Dearbhail |last=McDonald |work=Irish Independent |date=11 January 2007 |accessdate=10 June 2016}} The Grafton Street premises closed again for more extensive refurbishment works from February 2015. By October 2015, Bewley's announced that the length of the closure would extend,{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/grafton-street-bewleys-to-reopen-in-february-or-march-31601722.html |title=Grafton Street Bewley's to reopen in February or March |first=Gavin |last=McLoughlin |work=Irish Independent |date=12 October 2015 |accessdate=10 June 2016}} and by mid-2016, the date of reopening had been pushed back to the end of 2016.{{cite news |url=http://www.dublinlive.ie/news/bewleys-reopening-delayed-by-revamp-11462295 |title=Bewley's reopening delayed by revamp|first=Kayla|last=Walsh|work=Dublinlive.ie |date=12 June 2015 |accessdate=28 July 2016}} Ultimately, in November 2017, Bewley's Grafton Street was reopened after the "1000 day" multimillion-euro refurbishment.{{cite news| url = https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2017/1101/916723-bewleys/ | author = RTÉ | date = 1 November 2017 | accessdate = 1 November 2017 | work = RTÉ News | title = Bewley's café reopens after renovations }}

In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, management informed staff that the Grafton Street café would close permanently "in the coming weeks", leading to the loss of 110 jobs.{{Cite news |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2020/0506/1136899-bewleys-grafton-street/|title=Bewley's Grafton St set to close with 110 job losses|date=6 May 2020|via=www.rte.ie |accessdate=20 October 2020}} However, in late July 2020, it was announced that it would re-open on a phased basis.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/bewleys-open-dublin-grafton-street-5164404-Jul2020/|title=Bewley's on Grafton Street set for re-opening next month|first=Dominic|last=McGrath|website=TheJournal.ie |accessdate=20 October 2020}}

==Ownership of Harry Clarke stained glass==

The lease was subject to court proceedings from the landlord, as RGRE v Bewley's, related to the Harry Clarke stained glass in the building.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesspost.ie/news/judgment-on-bewleys-harry-clarke-windows-is-delayed/|title=Judgment on Bewley's Harry Clarke windows is delayed|website=Business Post}}

The tenants maintained that the Clarke windows were artworks and not part of the building's fabric, whereas the landlord maintained that they were. The Court of Appeal ruled in July 2024 that all of the six works were indeed part of the building so they could not be sold by the tenant.{{cite news |last1=Traynor |first1=Vivienne |title=Court rules Bewley's windows property of building owner |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/0731/1462869-bewleys-cafe-windows/ |access-date=31 July 2024 |publisher=RTÉ News |date=31 July 2024}}

=US and UK=

File:Bewley's teas.jpg

The company acquired the Rebecca's Cafe chain in the Boston, Massachusetts area in 1997,{{cite news|url = http://www.independent.ie/business/bewleys-lining-up-pound15m-takeover-of-kylemore-454125.html | publisher = Irish Independent | date = 7 February 1998 | title = Bewleys lining up £15m takeover of Kylemore | quote = "Last August [1997] it bought the Boston-based Rebecca's Cafe"}} and expanded to the west coast in 2000 with the purchase of the Java City brand.{{cite web | url = http://www.teaandcoffee.net/0501/trade.htm | publisher = Tea and Coffee Trade | date = May 2001 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20010629140832/http://www.teaandcoffee.net/0501/trade.htm | archivedate = 29 June 2001 | title = Java City Merges with Campbell-Bewley Group | url-status = dead | df = dmy-all }}{{cite web|url = http://www.foodanddrinkdigital.com/sectors/bewley-s-us-operations-win-major-airline-contract | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120114104905/http://www.foodanddrinkdigital.com/sectors/bewley-s-us-operations-win-major-airline-contract | publisher = Food and Drink Digital | date = 29 December 2010 | title = Bewley's US operations win major airline contract | archivedate = 14 January 2012 }}

Bewley's entered the UK market in 2011 following the acquisition of speciality coffee supplier, Darlington's before acquiring Bolling Coffee in 2013 and UK foodservice distributor, Peros in 2015.{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2013/0402/379451-bewleys-coffee-bolling/ |title=Bewley's acquires British supplier Bolling Coffee |publisher=RTÉ News |date=2 April 2013 |accessdate=11 July 2016}}{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/business/world/bewleys-hunts-new-acquisitions-among-uk-and-us-coffee-houses-34449845.html |title=Bewley's hunts new acquisitions among UK and US coffee houses |first=Sarah |last=McCabe |work=Irish Independent |date=14 February 2016|accessdate=11 July 2016}}

=Former=

Bewley's themselves operated a number of other branches in Dublin City Centre, including Fleet Street/Westmoreland Street (now a TGI Fridays); Mary Street{{cite news

|first=Samantha |last=McCaughren |url = https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/bewleys-sells-mary-st-leasehold-26059262.html | publisher = Irish Independent | title = Bewleys sells Mary St leasehold | date = 20 February 2002 | accessdate = 9 January 2020 }} and a short-term branch on South Great Georges Street during the refurbishment of the Grafton Street location. Branches also existed in Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport in some Waterstones stores,{{cite news|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/news/bewley-s-to-close-its-landmark-cafes-1.1164025 | publisher = Irish Times | website = irishtimes.com | title = Bewley's to close its landmark cafes | date = 29 October 2004 }} and in Arnotts department store {{cite web|url = http://whatson.arnotts.ie/uncategorized/bewleys-at-arnotts/ | website = arnotts.ie | title = Bewley's at Arnotts | accessdate = 9 January 2020 }} as well as Belfast and Bangor.{{cite news|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/business/bewleys-close-three-ni-cafes-1.47879 | publisher = Irish Times | website = irishtimes.com | title = Bewleys close three NI cafes | date = 10 May 1996 }}

A franchise operator ran multiple locations in suburban shopping centres including Nutgrove, The Square, Tallaght, Omni Park, Stillorgan Shopping Centre, the old Dundrum Shopping Centre as well as the chains first location on South Great Georges Street.{{cite news |url = https://www.irishtimes.com/news/bewley-s-cafe-to-leave-georges-st-1.194073 | publisher = Irish Times | website = irishtimes.com | title = Bewley's cafe to leave Georges St | date = 10 June 1999 | accessdate = 9 January 2020 }}{{cite news |url = https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/former-bewley-s-still-vacant-as-planners-promote-retail-1.284409 | publisher = Irish Times |first=Edel |last=Morgan |title = Former Bewley's still vacant as planners promote retail | date = 21 June 2000 | accessdate = 9 January 2020 }} Some of these locations had previous been run by the company directly.{{cite news |url = https://www.irishtimes.com/news/siptu-votes-to-strike-at-bewleys-1.81660 | publisher = Irish Times | website = irishtimes.com | title = SIPTU votes to strike at Bewleys | date = 31 August 1996 | accessdate = 9 January 2020 }} Franchised locations previously existed in Belfast and Portadown, closing in 1996.

Bewley's Hotels

Bewley's Hotels were a chain of hotels using the Bewley's trademark both in Ireland and in the United Kingdom, owned by Slaney Foods and the Moran Hotel Group.{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/1203/moran-business.html |title=Moran Hotel group buys Bewleys hotel chain |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann |date=3 December 2007 |accessdate=10 June 2016}}

This brand licensing agreement ended by mid-2015,{{cite web|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/former-bewley-hotels-to-be-rebranded-by-dalata-1.2258540 | publisher = Irish Times | date = 22 June 2015 | accessdate = 4 November 2017 | title = Former Bewley hotels to be rebranded by Dalata }} following the sale of Moran Bewleys Hotels to Dalata Hotel Group.{{cite web|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/dalata-set-to-buy-moran-bewley-s-hotel-group-for-455m-1.2041288 | title = Dalata set to buy Moran Bewley's Hotel Group for €455m | publisher = Irish Times | date = 17 December 2014 }}

The flagship hotel in the chain was in a restored 19th century Masonic school in Ballsbridge. Now known as the Clayton Hotel, Ballsbridge, some Masonic symbolism remains visible in the building's ornamentation.{{cite web|url = http://www.newsfour.ie/2014/06/the-masonic-history-of-bewleys-hotel/ | publisher = Newsfour.ie | title = The Masonic History of Bewley's Hotel | date = June 2014 }}