Hargreaves & Son Limited is one of the oldest businesses trading in Buxton. The shop was on Eagle Parade in the 1860's, run by Mrs. Alice Hargreaves and later helped by her son Sam. In 1896, they bought out another china shop at 14 Spring Gardens called Charles Wilkinson and continued trading at both premises for some years.  Mrs. Hargreaves died in 1904 and when her son sold his interest, local entrepreneur H.R.P.Lomas became owner and chairman, registering the new private limited company in 1904.  Mr. Lomas also owned the Spa Hotel and Malvern House as well as forming the local farming hamlet of Pomeroy (his third name). In 1906 Charles Holmes joined the company from being a department store manager at the Quinn & Axton store in Brixton, London.  He was appointed a Director in 1913 and subsequently brought his three sons Charles, Percival and Leonard into the business.  Upon the death of Charles his wife Sarah directed the business with Percy managing the Buxton shop.  Charles junior managed a hotel ware factory in Stoke and Leonard managed two shops in Stockport until his retirement. Percy later became managing director and continued to be chairman until his death in 1996 at the age of ninety three.

The showcases that are featured in the Tea Rooms were originally made for the rented premises  at 363 Oxford Road, Manchester.  When the lease expired these were used to furnish the Buxton shop's first floor showroom in 1913 in what was the family sitting room during the time the Holmes family lived above the shop.

The property, built in 1880 was purchased in 1922 from the Duke of Devonshire's Estate for the princely sum of £4,500. It is now a Grade Two Listed Building of Historical interest. Since 1906 four generations of the same family have been serving Buxton. Charles Holmes from  1906 to 1926, Sarah Holmes from 1906 to 1942, Percy Holmes from 1922 to 1996, Ken Holmes from 1949 to 1999, Teresa Coles (nee Holmes) from 1958, Cliff Coles from 1970, Heather Smith (nee Coles) from 1988 and Martin Coles from 1989.