Timaru Civic Trust: 30 Elizabeth St

The building at 30 Elizabeth St, Timaru, extending back to 72 Grey Rd, stands as a remarkable testament to the various incarnations a commercial building can go through.

This fine, two-storey brick structure is a prime example of Edwardian commercial architecture.

Its arched windows, substantial keystones, cornices, and scroll-decorated parapets project a formal, civic presence of stability and prosperity, anchoring the intersection.

Completed in 1910, as proclaimed by the date stone on the corner parapet, the building’s history is rich and varied.

In 1911, it housed a grocer owned by J.S. Cavanagh. From 1914 to 1955, it primarily served as a general store, sharing its premises with multiple other businesses, including a butcher, painters, a chauffeur, and a bookbinder.

The 1960s saw the building transformed into a hair salon, while the 1970s brought a dairy. In the 1980s and 1990s, it became Bago’s second-hand sporting goods store.

Following this period, it was home to the Aurora Paint Centre, and today, it hosts Goldfinger's hair salon.

Today, the area is predominantly residential, making 30 Elizabeth St stand out as an unusual landmark.

However, when the building was constructed, Elizabeth St was a modest yet active part of the town, less significant than Stafford St and a mix of residences, small businesses, and light industry.

Despite this, the building would have appeared ambitious and aspirational, comparable to other commercial buildings nearby, such as 70 and 97 Church St, which remain as vestiges of the area’s former character.

Andrew Paul Wood