Welcome to The Harbour Quarters Inn and Skipper’s Restaurant

“Skipper’s” was chosen to honour Joseph Thomas Swyers, founder of J.T. Swyers Co. Ltd., as he was referred to as “The Skipper” by his workers and friends.
The Harbour Quarters Inn, a registered heritage structure, built circa 1920, was originally owned by prominent merchant Philip Templeman.  After the Great Depression and several unsuccessful years in the 1930’s, the business faltered and was eventually phased out.  In the late 1930’s the premises was acquired by another prominent Bonavista fish merchant, “J.T. Swyers”.

Born the son of a fisherman, Joseph Thomas Swyers had no family fortune to back his entry into the world of commerce.  What he had in abundance was entrepreneurial skill, a vision and determination.  As a boy, he established a business that has stood for 131 years and counting.

The year was 1892, Joseph’s father had died and 16 year old J.T. was left to take care of his brothers and sisters.  He had a total of $20.00 in savings which he brought to local businessman, James Ryan and asked Mr. Ryan for $20.00 worth of goods, as well as another $20.00 worth of credit to help start up  a small business. The merchant not only agreed to Mr. Swyers’ requests, but gave him an additional $100.00 as he saw something special in this young man.

Ryan’s faith in Swyers was certainly justified.  From starting a small bartering store out of a fishing shed in Red Point, to acquiring a much larger building in Bayley’s Cove, Swyers was headed for success.  In the following years he expanded into the fishery, buying and drying salt cod, which he shipped on his own schooners to Spain, Portugal, Brazil and The West Indies.  He also operated a cod liver oil factory, collected and shipped dried squid which went to China, Singapore and Taiwan, shipped partridgeberries and fresh Atlantic Salmon across Canada and The United States and owned 50% of The Charlottetown Shipbuilding Co., Charlottetown, Bonavista Bay.  Swyers was also supplying shops all around the Bonavista Peninsula with his goods and by the late 1940’s, his company was exporting almost 5% of all fish from Newfoundland.    The light shades and table stands you see in our restaurant are those very barrels that were used to ship squid and salted cod fish to various markets across the world.

By 1973, with continued success, it was decided to open a more modern supermarket a couple hundred yards away from the present Harbour Quarters.  This building was then closed for several years and used for storage until 1996.  Before the Queen’s Arrival during the Cabot 500 Celebrations of ’97, it was decided that this old forgotten building would be restored and turned into a small café and gift shop.

The exterior of the building was completely restored to its original condition.  This operation continued until 2003 when the decision was made to turn the two vacant floors above into a Heritage Inn.  In 2004, the building was completely stripped on the inside.  As you are sitting here today, you could look above and see nothing but the roof rafters, two floors up.

In 2005, The Harbour Quarters Inn and Skipper’s Restaurant opened its’ doors after more than a year of meticulous work.  Take a look around- some of the artifacts in the dining room were taken from the stores and even schooners owned and operated by the late J.T. Such items include a ships wheel and oar, a nautical compass, scales for weighing cod, a 6 foot ice saw used for sawing out chunks of ice for packing fresh salmon, fish boxes (found on top bar) that were used to ship cod to World Markets and so on. The windows at the front desk are the original, as well as the desk itself (which holds an old National Cash Register from 1910). The tables and chairs are the work of local craftsman, Mike Paterson who incorporated the old wooden casks used in days gone by into his work.  Paterson also supplied all the rooms above with furniture, including the Harbour Grace Four Poster beds.

Today, the wholesale side is long gone, exporting fish has disappeared and days of ship building are no more.  However, a grocery store (Swyers’ Fresh Foods) and retail store still operates at that old Bayley’s Cove site- 131 years later (as of 2023).  A Castle Building Centre has been added, as well as this Heritage Inn- which are all a part of the enterprise:  “J.T. Swyers Co. Ltd.” These businesses are still family run by his grandson Jim, great-grandson Jamie and great-granddaughters Debra, Victoria and Lora.

In 2004, 112 years after the birth of J.T Swyers Co. Ltd, Mr. Joseph Thomas Swyers was inducted into The Newfoundland and Labrador Business Hall of Fame.
This is our story.  We invite you to explore our history-rich community of beautiful Bonavista and encounter many more stories that will give you a greater appreciation for our town. 

The Harbour Quarters- Drop your anchor here.