Griffiths Bros, founded by James and John Griffiths in Melbourne in 1879, was one of the first tea, coffee and cocoa distributors in Australia – and, for much of its history, the largest. In its heyday the Griffiths Bros name literally covered the east coast of Australia, famous for the signs running along the rail line between Melbourne and Sydney that informed travellers how far it was to their next cup of Griffiths Tea.
In 1911, with the business expanding, the Griffiths Bros needed a warehouse in Sydney. Securing the services of Kent, Budden & Greenwell Architects, one of Australia’s foremost firms, the company wasted little time in breaking ground on what was to be their flagship NSW warehouse. The final white bricks of the now-famous Griffiths Teas parapet detail were laid in 1915, with the building opening as their primary east-coast storage facility shortly thereafter.
The company thrived in the location until 1966 when it was taken over by the Robur Tea Company. The warehouse was later purchased by real estate magnates Isaac and Susan Wakil, but remained vacant and in decline for decades – and it has been an open question for many years as to what the fate of this landmark building would be.
With current-day Surry Hills fast becoming one of the most sought after lifestyle locations in Australia, this Sydney icon could not be allowed to lie fallow any longer. Thanks to the combined efforts of Cornerstone Property Group and PopovBass, it will soon be returned to its former glory – the beginning of a new chapter to mark the 100-year anniversary of this historic building.
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