▁in ▁the ▁last ▁ 1 6 . ▁__ TO C __ ▁ ▁Main ▁draw ▁ ▁Final ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : B rit ish ▁Open ▁( s no oker ) ▁British ▁Open ▁Open ▁( s no oker ) <0x0A> </s> ▁Mer iv ale ▁is ▁an ▁Australian ▁company . ▁It ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁in ▁Sydney ▁by ▁John ▁and ▁Mer iv ale ▁Hem mes , ▁initially ▁as ▁a ▁mill in ery ▁in ▁Sydney ' s ▁Bou lev ard ▁Ar cade , ▁later ▁expand ing ▁into ▁cl othing . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁the ▁first ▁House ▁of ▁Mer iv ale ▁fashion ▁store ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁the ▁Theatre ▁Royal ▁in ▁Cast l ere agh ▁Street . ▁It ▁expanded ▁into ▁a ▁successful ▁and ▁influ ential ▁high - f ashion ▁chain ▁with ▁three ▁stores ▁in ▁Pitt ▁Street , ▁two ▁in ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁one ▁in ▁Can ber ra . ▁Mer iv ale ▁divers ified ▁into ▁both ▁hospital ity ▁and ▁property ▁interests , ▁acqu iring ▁the ▁Angel ▁Hotel ▁building ▁in ▁Pitt ▁Street , ▁which ▁included ▁a ▁restaurant ▁that ▁re open ed ▁as ▁a ▁bout ique , ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁item ▁in ▁a ▁substantial ▁property ▁port folio . ▁ ▁It ▁expanded ▁further ▁into ▁hospital ity ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁with ▁the ▁Mer iv ale ▁restaurant ▁in ▁Pot ts ▁Point , ▁as ▁it ▁began ▁w inding ▁down ▁its ▁fashion ▁interests , ▁closing ▁the ▁last ▁fashion ▁out let ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁John ▁and ▁Mer iv