Why, you might ask! In 1698 the royal court moved to St James' Palace, a stone's throw from Berry Bros & Rudd which set up shop ....in the same year! In those days it was a grocer's shop but by the end of the 1800s, the grocery side had been dropped in favour of fortified wine. Key features today are the vast stock of both wines and spirits and the giant weighing scales which were used for a specific purpose from 1765 - find out more on a Hobnob tour!!