Masonic House
One of four large warehouses built on the Customs Street block between Commerce and Gore Streets.
John Buchanan, wholesale grocer, tea, coffee and spice merchant, occupied the new Masonic building in 1885. Brown, Barrett & Co., coffee and spice merchants, also occupied the warehouse and the two storey roasting room annex at the rear. John Buchanan’s Auckland business collapsed in 1889 and Brown and Barrett continued.The leases of this and the other warehouses in the block were purchased by the Geddes family and owned until 1945.
A variety of tenants occupied the building including the London Book Shop.
In May 1952 the Masonic Institute and Club Incorporated brought the building for £47,500 as part of a plan to establish “a home of its own”. An arcade with 11 retail premises linking Customs Street to Galway Street was built in 1973.
Current use
This building has been cleaned out; the services reinstated and is now leased to the following tenants on an interim basis.
This building will be restored as part of the redevelopment of the Britomart Precinct
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