Our History

James H. Dewar and brother George, opened The Chocolate Shop in 1909. The candy store was located at 1665 Chester Avenue in Bakersfield, California, the first door north of the Hall of Records.

Within the next three years, George moved to Taft California.

In 1910 James H. Dewar and Lena B. Yancey married, they had four children, Joseph H., born 1912, James A. born 1914, Mary Ellen, born 1915 and Rosalind, born 1922.

In 1917, James H. Dewar moved his business to 948 Baker Street where it remained until 1928. While at this location, the three older children attended Washington school at Niles and Baker streets.

The family then moved to Ventura, California for a short time and opened a small store there.

During this brief interlude, Lena’s father, Joe died. Her mother, Rose needed help in Bakersfield and she offered to help build the shop at 1120 Eye Street. The family accepted the offer and in 1930.

Dewar’s Candy Shop opened at its present location. At the same time James H. starting making and serving ice cream.

James H. and son’s, Joe and James A. worked together in the business. Rosalind learned to dip chocolates and continued until her retirement in 2007.

Joe became a cabinet maker and moved to Santa Cruz, California in the 1940’s.

James A. took over the shop in 1947 followed by his son George in 1977.

In 1994 son Michael entered the family business to oversee the manufacturing of the delicious chews Dewar’s is so famous for.

In 1999 daughter Heather joined the company with the intention to open a second location for Dewar’s Candy Shop and in December 2001 the second shop was opened at 9530 Hageman Road in Bakersfield, California.

In 2004 the 5th generation began with the arrival of Katie Rose Cook, born May 2004, brother Dylan Dewar Cook, born October 2005, Marley Etcheverry-Dewar, born April 2008 and Dax Jeppi Dewar, born 2010.

The Riverlakes location was closed in 2011 and in January of 2012, Dewar's opened a new soda fountain at 2700 Calloway that was unlike any before it. Complete with a life-like, singing moose-head, a semi-enclosed patio with a fireplace/water feature and a party room with a bounce house, games and a large piano to dance on like the one form the movie "Big"

May of 2012 saw the opening of Dewar's Express at 11320 Ming Avenue. Our first Drive-Thru location.

On November 17th of 2023, another new location, Dewar's Express at The Ranch, was opened at the end of the Westside Parkway on Stockdale Highway, near Heath Road which boasts a very large drive-thru and modest seating area inside. 

Today George, Michael and Heather are working to preserve the excellence and tradition that started with James H. Dewar in 1909