The Thursday market at St Kevin's Arcade in central Auckland. Photo: Eleanor Oxley @oxley.creative
Since 1924, St Kevin's Arcade in Auckland has been a mecca for retail, hospitality and inner city culture.
The K Road arcade attracts 50,000 monthly visitors.
Broadcaster and history fan Hamish Williams said it was a special place where people from all walks of life intersect.
People in Auckland can learn about St Kevin's Arcade's fascinating 100-year history at free evening audio tours he will be hosting until Friday 11 October.
"Come over the next three weekends, get some headphones, go for a little walk through and discover that St Kevin's Arcade has got the most incredible history," he told Mark Leishman.
An arcade of history
Hamish Williams hosts the recent podcast Tangiwai: A Forgotten History.
From the 1920s through to the 1960s, St Kevin's Arcade was Auckland's premier shopping destination, Williams said.
Over the decades, many different businesses have come and gone from the arcade but current tenants include the heritage burger bar The White Lady and new music venue Double Whammy!.
St Kevin's Arcade has provided refreshments to Auckland shoppers since 1924. Photo: St Kevins Arcade @stkevinsarcade
For Williams what really makes St Kevin's Arcade special is how its windows beautifully frame a view of nearby Myers Park and the Auckland cityscape.
Originally built as tea rooms, the arcade's beautiful park view was central to its design, he said.
"Sit around, have a cup of tea, have a lamington and some lunch … That was a big attraction for people to come to this oasis in the middle of a vastly expanding city."
St Keven's - a Karangahape Road homestead built by English entrepreneur David Nathan in 1848 and owned by Thomas Keven. Photo: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 370-9292
St Kevin's Arcade stands on a strip of land that was once on the grounds of St Keven's House - a grand mansion built by in 1848 by English entrepreneur George Nathan.
St Keven's - which featured vast gardens and tennis courts - shared the hillside with a neighbouring mansion called Verona (site of the current K Road cafe and name-checked in a 2003 Elemeno P) single.
In 1918, after K Road became too busy and noisy for the Nathan family, they "upped sticks and left.", Williams said.
When their mansion was demolished in 1920, a "massive retail opportunity" emerged on K Road.
"The mansion house that was known as St Keven's with an 'E' was torn down and St Kevin's Arcade with an 'I' was born."
Visitors to St Kevin's Arcade can share memories, drawings and wishes for the future in the FUTURE PRESENT PAST Time Capsule until 13 October.
The Thursday market at St Kevin's Arcade in central Auckland. Photo: Eleanor Oxley @oxley.creative