An icon of Preston - why Brucciani’s future looks just as rosy as it’s past
“We knew this place was special and it was all about investing in Preston.”
Name a Preston institution and it won’t be long till someone says Brucciani’s.
The Italian, art deco style cafe has been running since 1932, a hub for catch ups, business chats and mid-shopping treats.
Inside, there’s no mistaking where you are. There’s no homogenous chain shop decor here. You’re stepping back into your childhood - to your grandparent’s childhood - and there’s something wonderful about that.
On the surface, it appears that very little has changed in 94 years since Marco and Maria Brucciani opened up their cafe and ice cream parlor at 91 Fishergate. There’s still the original metal art deco window fenestrations, patina’d slogans, black and white pictures on the walls, brass railings, Coke floats and a quirky ordering system.
But actually, plenty has changed under current owners Mark Hooper and Phillip Gilmore.
Mark and Phillip - both adopted Prestonians - took over in July 2023 are only the third owners of the business, buying it from the Hoole family, who took it over from the original Brucciani family in the 1970s. They’ve ploughed six figures into the building - upgrading the kitchen, toilets, refurbishing the furniture and creating new booths and cutlery stations.
They’ve also overhauled the food and drink offering, scrapping the national supplier and bringing in local products; such as meat from Livesey’s butchers on Preston Market, groceries from Fresh and Fruity, local cheeses, cakes from Moorcrofts in Poulton and coffee from a supplier in Cumbria.
Mark - originally from Worcester - even admits to pouring for hours over Preston photo archives, looking for pictures of the cafe through it’s life - to create a bespoke wall paper for the toilets, where original ice cream cellar used to be.
But the time and effort has paid off. The changes have seen turnover more than double, with demand meaning that at peak times, people are queuing out of the door and into Fishergate.
“I used to go in for lunch all the time and I saw the potential”, said Phillip. “It’s an institution in Preston and we wanted to support the history of it, keep it for Preston.
“Would Mark and I take over an empty unit and create an independent coffee shop? No, we wouldn’t. But we knew this place was special and it was all about investing in Preston.”
“We want to preserve it for generations”, said Mark. “So many people used to come in with their grandparents, and now it’s them bringing their own grandchildren.
“One lady recently came in from Liverpool and it was her first visit for 80 years. It was where she had her first date with her husband all that time ago and it brought it all back. That’s special, not many businesses can do that.
“But I do feel quite a lot of responsibililty. I suppose we’re custodians of the business rather than owners.”
In recent years, there has been an explosion of new coffee shops and cafes in Preston, including Coffee Boy opening directly opposite Brucciani’s in June. Without losing its unique appeal, Brucciani’s has evolved and brought in new trends, including offering pumpkin spiced lattes, dairy-free milks, smoothies and decorating its famous window with seasonal artwork.
Mark says the demographic of customers has changed since they took it over, and they’re now seeing a wider range of age groups visiting the cafe. He said: “People don’t like change, but as a business we do have to evolve and keep it relevant for younger generations. But we don’t take anything for granted. We’re part of Preston history and we have to do that justice.”
When they first took over, Mark and Phillip worked in the business every week, learning the business and what needed investment. Now a team of 23 staff run the business day to day, with the best-seller always the all day breakfast.
They open 8am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 9am to 4pm on Sundays, with their first evening event- a women in business networking event - recently under their belt. “This place looks beautiful at night - all lit up - but not many people get to see it”, said Mark. “More evening events or service is something we’re looking at, as well as the option of hiring the space out.”
The men are also considering offering a range of Brucciani-themed merchandise, and have recently agreed to sell prints of a watercolour depicting the shop, by local artist Edwin Williams.
The original is set to take pride of place inside the cafe - when a suitable place can be found on the crowded walls.
And as for those black and white photos - take a look closely and you’ll see faces like Harry Styles and Michelle Obama have been added. So, it’s a timewarp, but it isn’t standing still. And when you walk in, have you spotted the recently-added booth?
Brucciani’s is a living, breathing and growing icon for generations to come.