PHOTO:🔥 THE HEART OF HAVANA COFFEE IS OFFICIALLY FOR SALE
One of Wellington’s most iconic hospitality addresses — the Havana Coffee Works headquarters at 163 Tory Street — has hit the market as founder Geoff Marsland steps into a new chapter of life, adventure and self-rediscovery.
For more than three decades, Marsland has been the flamboyant, caffeinated force behind Wellington’s coffee culture. Now, the man who once described Havana HQ as his very own “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is letting go.
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“I want new experiences. I’m not 20 anymore. I want to travel, to sail, to explore.”
The sale includes 163 Tory Street and neighbouring 1–3 Francis Place, a combined commercial estate with a rateable value just under $4 million.
🏛️ THE BUILDING THAT BREWED A COFFEE REVOLUTION
Marsland’s Havana empire began in 1989 when he and schoolmate Tim Rose launched their first operation out of Cuba Street. As demand exploded, they shifted to the now-famous Tory Street premises — affectionately nicknamed “The Shrine.”
The two buildings include:
Front Building — 163 Tory Street
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Six-bedroom apartment upstairs
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Havana Coffee Works roastery
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Head office
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Café space
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Heritage brick and concrete build (1959 — the year of the Cuban Revolution)
Rear Building — Francis Place
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Ground-floor workshop
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First-floor apartment/office
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Built circa 1980
Together, the properties generate approximately $250,000 net income plus GST, secured by anchor tenant Lion NZ, which purchased Havana Coffee Works in 2018.
🌊 THE LIFE-CHANGING MOMENT THAT LED TO THE SALE
Marsland told OneRoof that he rejected multiple offers to buy Havana over the years — until a terrifying offshore sailing incident changed everything.
“My family thought we were dead for 10 hours. When I hit the reef, I wasn’t thinking about my business — only my family.”
The near-disaster triggered deep reflection and eventually led to selling the business in 2018.
Selling the buildings is the final emotional step.
🎪 “LIKE CHARLIE IN THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY” — A WORKPLACE LIKE NO OTHER
Marsland says he will miss the atmosphere more than anything:
“The interior, the music, the staff… I was there every day as the ringleader. Everyone felt part of the big family.”
The HQ became a cultural hub in Wellington’s creative Te Aro district — part roastery, part café, part artistic playground.
Vendor Geoff Marsland bought the building after Havana outgrew its original Cuba Street premises. Photo / Supplied
🏰 A QUIRKY HERITAGE COMPLEX WITH SERIOUS INCOME
Highlights include:
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Combined RV just under $4m
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10 car parks (gold in Wellington’s CBD)
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Strong commercial tenant
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Significant add-value potential
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Prime Te Aro location
The properties are being marketed by Bayleys commercial agent Mark Walker, with tenders closing December 10.
Marsland also owns other Wellington icons, including Queen’s Picture Theatre and Loretta restaurant — both of which may be sold in future.
Marsland: “I have always been hands-on, but I am not 20 anymore. I want new experiences, to travel, to sail, and to explore.” Photo / Supplied
🧭 WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE COFFEE KING?
Freedom.
Marsland says he’s finally ready for the adventures he put off for decades:
“Selling the buildings and downsizing allows me to live differently while still appreciating what I have created.”
Travel. Sailing. Exploration. A new life — far from Tory Street, but forever shaped by it.
Marsland compares the building to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Photo / Supplied
🏁 BOTTOM LINE: A RARE SLICE OF WELLINGTON’S COFFEE HISTORY HITS THE MARKET
For investors, this is a landmark commercial asset in one of Wellington’s most sought-after districts — backed by strong rental income and deep cultural significance.
For the city, it marks the end of an era… and the beginning of a new one for the man who helped make Wellington famous for coffee.
The properties have a combined RV of just under $4m and generate an annual income of $250,000 plus GST. Photo / Supplied
SOURCE: ONEROOF