Coffee Bean Shop

A Memory of Beckenham.

I'm pretty sure the name of the shop was "Importers" as a kid I was fascinated by the contraption in the window - all chain driven wheels whirling round and round and every so often someone placing or removing one of the canisters that held the beans - probably could have stood there all day had not my mother dragged me away to do shopping.

As far as I remember (and could well be utterly wrong here) you couldn't actually buy a cup of coffee in the shop - it wasn't a cafe - only the beans to take home. In fact I'm struggling to remember any cafe in the high street - there must have been at least one. What a different world to todays suburban high street where there's a cafe about every thirty paces.

Robin

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Added 25 February 2020

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Goodness, this has sparked many memories. I had forgotten about the coffee but even now the smell is wafting back. I lived in Whitmore Road and a a good school friend of mine lived in a flat above Mac Fisheries, there must have been a lane by Boots. My cousin went to school with David Bowie, I have a great class photo on file! I emigrated to Australia in 1968 when I was 20 and have visited back a few times but the memories will never change, the Three Tunns and the Jade Room in particular.

By Neil Mcintosh on Fri Mar 19th 2021, at 6:22 am

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I remember the smell of grinding coffee in the High Street. There was a Wimpy Bar near The Drive and The Jade Room near The Three Tuns in the 60s. There were also many estate agents too as Beckenham was a popular place for London workers to live with so many main line stations.

By Jane Datoo on Mon Jul 5th 2021, at 5:26 pm

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The Coffee shop was called Coffee Importers and the "contraption" in the shop window was in fact a roaster and you could buy different beans roasted to different levels. The aroma when the coffee was being roasted was absolutely wonderful.

By David Martin on Wed Aug 3rd 2022, at 12:50 pm

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I was more interested in the fudge and toffee being made in Sisley’s and you could watch the procedure if you found a good spot outside the window. I was also intrigued by the big drum in the Dry Cleaners on the hill, opposite the Police Station where you could watch the clothes being processed. Couldn’t linger as the smell was rather unpleasant! I loved going into

By Elisabeth Pendleton on Mon Jan 30th 2023, at 1:48 am

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