Berry Bros. & Rudd is one of Britain's oldest wine and spirits retailers, with a rich history spanning over 300 years. The long-established company was founded in 1698 by the widow Borowski at No. 3 St. James Street, where she ran an "Italian grocery store" that sold, among other things, tea, snuff, spices and coffee. The coffee grinder, which can still be seen today at number 3, is a reminder of the company's roots.
Whilst over the years Berry Bros. & Rudd's focus has shifted to wine and spirits, the company has remained a significant wine and spirits retailer to this day and is one of the largest independent bottlers of spirits in the UK. At the beginning of the 19th century, BBR began bottling barrels under its own label, which was an innovation at the time and made the company a pioneer in this field.