Fortnum & Mason

Fortnum and Mason began in seventeen hundred and seven as a clever side hustle for a royal footman named William Fortnum. While working in the household of Queen Anne, Fortnum noticed that the royals insisted on fresh candles every single evening, leaving behind piles of half-burned wax. He collected these stubs, melted them down, and sold the recycled wax for a profit. He soon partnered with his landlord, Hugh Mason, to open a formal grocery store in St James's Market, launching a business that would eventually become an institution for luxury goods and fine food.