Bess Eaton is Open for Business in Wakefield

Bess Eaton Coffee Shop is now open for business.

Located at the Dale Carlia Corner spot of the former Tim Horton's, the returning coffee spot is the first of three stores to be opened by the new owners. The other two, in Westerly and Pawcatuck, CT, will be open by mid-April.

Asked if there were people waiting for the store to open this morning, owner/manager Mary Haverly replied, “Oh my gosh, yes!” Haverly owned the Tim Horton's franchise, and when the corporation abruptly shuttered the local RI stores last November, she asked to buy out the lease, planning to continue running a shop there. During the past 5 months a group of investors including Haverly and Dave Liquori, a former Bess Eaton and Dunkin' Donuts executive, negotiated to purchase the rights to the name and the recipes. The group, Bess Eaton Management of Westerly, will start with the three locations and the owners hope to grow and eventually own the chain.  

Lines were strong and the parking lot was jammed all day long on Friday as people rushed in to revisit the taste of their favorite coffee and to support the business. At 4 p.m. there was a line of customers 10 deep, as well as a steady line of traffic in the drive-thru lane. “And this is slow,” joked Haverly as she raced around in the thick of things, waiting on customers and joking with friends and regulars. The staff, outfitted in navy blue shirts and visors with the Bess Eaton logo, kept smiles on their faces despite the crush. Flowers and plants from well-wishers were on display throughout the shop and the tables were almost all taken. The staff concurred that the best seller of the day was definitely the “Tank”, the largest cup. The flavor? Hazelnut. As Haverly pointed out earlier in the week, the French Vanilla and Hazelnut coffees are not created using flavor shots - they're fresh brewed. Iced coffee, is as well, another very popular item today.

 “I'm so happy that Bess Eaton is back”, said Jamie Hausauer, a South Kingstown paramedic. “I hope it's exactly as I remember.” After one sip of her coffee, she said, “It's just the same! I'm so excited!”

Sara Schroeder, sipping an iced coffee, and Jessica Pierson - regular, light and sweet -were back because of the Bess Easton brand.

“It's so nice to see it opening again”, said Pierson.

Fran and Charles Nash were back for both the Bess Eaton Coffee and to support the Haverlys, the staff and to see the regulars they came to know when the venue was Tim Horton's. They were fans of the original Bess Eaton, but having traveled extensively in Canada, also came to know Tim Horton's coffee before they came to the area.

"Mary and Rick and their staff are just the best,” said Nash. “Everyone comes in with a big smile of anticipation and leaves with a bigger smile due to the outstanding service. It's a real addition to downtown Wakefield to have this back.”

The store will be open from 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. at first, with plans to reopen 24 hrs. There are the familiar racks of donuts, pastries, bagels and muffins, all freshly baked everyday in Westerly, as well as breakfast sandwiches and, of course, the coffee. Haverly is keeping the Coldstone Creamery franchise as well, but it will be another month before it is restocked. The new owners are making plans to offer sandwiches at lunchtime soon as well.

If opening day is any indication of future success, the new Bess Eaton will be with us for a long, long time.