<P> The company was a substantial food manufacturer, with factories at Cadby Hall in Hammersmith, and from 1921 at Greenford, producing bread, cakes, pies, tea, coffee and ice cream . </P> <P> To the public, J. Lyons & Co. were best known for their chain of tea shops which opened from 1894 and finally closed in 1981, and for the Lyons Corner Houses in the West End of London . The tea shops were slightly more up market than their ABC (Aerated Bread Company) counterparts . They were notable for their interior design, from the 1920s Oliver P. Bernard being consultant artistic director . Until the 1940s they had a certain working - class chic, but by the 1950s and' 60s they were quick stops for busy shoppers where one could drink a cup of tea and eat a snack or an inexpensive meal . The tea shops always had a bakery counter at the front, and their signs, art nouveau gold lettering on white, were a familiar landmark (before the Second World War service was to the table by uniformed waitresses, known as' Nippies', but after the War the tea shops converted to cafeteria service). </P> <P> Lyons' Corner Houses, which first appeared in 1909 and remained until 1977, were noted for their art deco style . Situated on or near the corners of Coventry Street, Strand and Tottenham Court Road, they and the Maison Lyonses at Marble Arch and in Shaftesbury Avenue were large buildings on four or five floors, the ground floor of which was a food hall with counters for delicatessen, sweets and chocolates, cakes, fruit, flowers and other products . In addition, they possessed hairdressing salons, telephone booths, theatre booking agencies and at one period a twice - a-day food delivery service . On the other floors were several restaurants, each with a different theme and all with their own musicians . For a time the Corner Houses were open 24 hours a day, and at their peak each branch employed around 400 staff . They featured window displays, and, in the post-war period, the Corner Houses were smarter and grander than the local tea shops . Between 1896 and 1965 Lyons owned the Trocadero, which was similar in size and style to the Corner Houses . </P> <P> As well as the tea shops and Corner Houses, Lyons ran other large restaurants such as the Angel Cafe Restaurant in Islington and the Throgmorton in Throgmorton Street . Its chains have included Steak Houses (1961--1988), Wimpy Bars (1953--1976), Baskin - Robbins (1974 -) and Dunkin' Donuts (1989 -). The artist Kay Lipton designed all the windows for the Corner Houses under the jurisdiction of Norman Joseph, the director post-war . </P>

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