A new Starbucks store will open today at the historic Findlater’s Corner in London Bridge in what was once an Express Dairy Company tea room, blending the iconic Starbucks Experience with the tea room’s rich Victorian heritage.
The intricate facade was discovered as part of a wider restoration project to the Victorian railway arches. Findlater’s Corner, the historic former home of Victorian wine merchants Findlater, Mackie and Todd, is being restored by The Arch Company, ITC and Benedict O’Looney Architects.
In a bid to preserve the historical character of Findlater’s Corner, The Arch Company invested £3.1M to restore the corner site, including restoration and preservation of the historic mosaic, which was discovered during the project and will remain on the front façade of the Starbucks store. The mosaic was found to have been decorated by Jesse Rust, a celebrated mosaicist who was also responsible for some of the mosaic floors in the V&A Museum.
Brent Cashell, VP, Store Development, Design, & Retail Strategy at Starbucks, said: “We are thrilled to open a new store in such an iconic site, and look forward to welcoming the local community, commuters and tourists whilst maintaining the historic character of the local area. The mosaics advertising the Express Dairy Tea Room speak to London’s rich hospitality history and we are committed to honouring that heritage while continuing to build our own legacy of coffee craft and human connection.”
