Founded 1953 Ceased operations 2004 | Owner David Liguori Number of locations 5 (2016) | |
Predecessor Bess Eaton Donut Flour Company Incorporated Founder Angelo (Bangy) Gencarelli Jr. (1953), David Ligouri (2011) Products coffee, pastries, baked goods | ||
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Bess Eaton or Bess Eaton Management LLC is a small chain of coffee shops based in southern New England, often serving doughnuts, bagels, and muffins. The firm licensed the Bess Eaton trademark in 2011 from Wendy's, which had acquired the previous Bess Eaton chain out of bankruptcy in 2004. As of 2016, there are five locations stretching from Groton, Connecticut to Galilee, Rhode Island.
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History
The Bess Eaton Donut Flour Company was founded in 1953 by Angelo (Bangy) Gencarelli Jr. and was known for its coffee and hand-cut donuts. The corporate headquarters were located in Westerly, Rhode Island, with up to 56 retail shops spread between Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. At one time, it was Rhode Island's seventh largest private employer of 750 workers and 650 workers at the chain's sale. Throughout the chain's 50-year history, the company was privately held by the Gencarelli family. In the last year of operations, the firm was focusing on wholesale business and non-store locations to boost profits, but ultimately was sold to Tim Hortons of Canada. Leading up to the company's sale, then CEO, Louis A. Gencarelli, Sr., made headlines printing Biblical scripture verses on the company's cups and product packaging.
Demise
In its last decade of operation, the Bess Eaton Donut Flour Company faced many internal difficulties including problems with its financial records. As a result, the firm sold its retail division in mid-2004 following bankruptcy litigation. With a reported $35 million bid, the fast-food chain Wendy's International Corporation prevailed over the Dunkin' Donuts chain in their competition to purchase the 48 defunct Bess Eaton stores and other assets. Within two months of acquisition, Wendy's had converted 42 of those stores to their Tim Hortons brand. In conjunction with the sale, Bess Eaton closed its production facility and corporate headquarters. Wendy's sold Tim Hortons in 2006, but kept ownership of the Bess Eaton trademark.
Rebirth
From 2008 to 2010, Tim Hortons closed the doors on all shops in Southern New England, including all of the Bess Eaton shops it had acquired. In late January 2011, David Liguori registered a limited liability company under the name Bess Eaton Management LLC with the Rhode Island Secretary of State's Office. He has also acquired the Bess Eaton trademark under his company name, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and acquired the leases of several of the closed Tim Hortons. Four stores have opened in Westerly and Wakefield, Rhode Island and Pawcatuck and Groton, Connecticut. A fifth location in Galilee, Rhode Island is open seasonally to serve travelers waiting to board Block Island Ferry. They use all the original recipes for coffee and pastries.