1840 to 2015 - 175 years of History in Coleraine

Bishops dates all the way back to 1840 when it began as a shoe repair shop and shoe making shop on Mill Street. Stephen Bishops opened a shop in the Diamond in 1860. Stephen Died in 1871 aged only 31 and his wife Ellen took over and expanded the business.

In 1905 the building was demolished and rebuilt and rebuilt incorporating adjacent premises. Ellen's son James Bishops continued to trade, indeed He opened other footwear stores in Portrush and Balymoney for a period.

In 1940 the business was sold to Mr Charles Hamilton who along with his wife Mrs Evelyn Hamilton expanded the Coleraine store and opened a branch in Portrush.

Bishops expanded over the years and in the year 2003 extended along Bridge Street and integrated with the Diamond shopping centre with two more generations of the Hamilton family continuing the Bishops Footwear story.