Coffee firm full of beans about its place in history

ANDREW GORRIE/The Dominion Post

HARD GRIND: Mojo Coffee Cartel founder Steve Gianoutsos in the company's new home at Shed 13. It will get its sacks of coffee straight off the boat, much as was done when the shed was built as an import warehouse more than 100 years ago.

One of Wellington's old waterfront sheds is about to go back to its roots.

Shed 13, built in 1905, has become the new headquarters for Mojo Coffee Cartel and will soon be receiving sacks of coffee straight off the boat, much as it did more than 100 years ago.

Mojo founder Steve Gianoutsos said the company had Agriculture and Forestry Ministry accreditation to take its coffee beans directly into the shed, in keeping with its original role as an import warehouse.

"The Historic Places Trust love us being in here because this is the only refurbished historic building being used for what it was originally designed for."

The new fitout has just been completed and tonnes of coffee sacks are being delivered. Mr Gianoutsos would not confirm the cost of setting up shop in the shed, but had spent several hundred thousand dollars. The company had a six-year lease with Wellington Waterfront.

With an existing Mojo cafe just outside the front door, Shed 13 - the northernmost of the waterfront sheds, nearest to the railway station - would house the company's roastery, which was shifting from Kent Tce, and a shop selling coffee paraphernalia. It hoped to open in a couple of weeks.

Wellington Waterfront had received countless applications for potential uses of the quake-strengthened shed, but said the occupancy had to be in keeping with public access.

The new premises, dubbed Coffee Central, would be open to the public, with tours of the roastery, Mr Gianoutsos said.

Wellington Waterfront chief executive Ian Pike said it would provide an attraction for visitors, but more so for locals. Sites 8 and 9, on the car park next to Shed 13, are set for three new buildings if pending building rule changes allow, after Ian Athfield's architecture firm won a design competition for the space.

Waterfront development is subject to Variation 11, a new set of building rules due for a public hearing in mid-August.

Concept drawings were under way for the area already, Mr Pike said.

The Meridian building will welcome its final tenant next Wednesday, with Auckland-based restaurant chain Portofino opening its first Wellington premises, next to Wagamama.

Mr Pike said it was encouraging to have businesses prepared to commit to securing new space during the recession.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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