We're back. And we've never felt more at home.
There's a particular kind of quiet that settles into a building when it's closed for a while. Ours has had a few of those over the years. But today, that quiet ends, and The Boat Shed Cafe is open again.
If you know the building, you'll know it's been through more chapters than most. Before it was ever a cafe, it was the NZ Railways Shipping Office, built between 1869 and 1878. In 1936, it made its way down to the Frankton waterfront, where it's sat ever since. It was restored and reopened as The Boat Shed Cafe back in March 2013, and has welcome thousands of tourists and locals through its doors since.
So, when it came time for this refresh, we didn't want to write over any of that history. We wanted to lean into it. Working closely with the Wakatipu Community Maritime Preservation Society, we've reworked the space around its shipping-office bones, with details that nod to what this building used to carry and send out into the world. The new palette draws inspiration from it's home - deep forest green from our roof, warm cream from the exterior walls, and red from our iconic door. This rebrand isn't a new direction so much as a truer read of what was already here.
Thank you, Adept Carpentry
Some things take a village, and getting The Boat Shed Cafe ready to reopen was one of them. A huge thank you to Harry and the team at Adept Carpentry, whose care and craftsmanship shaped this space into what it is today. Every detail, from the smallest joint to the finished room, reflects a team that clearly takes pride in getting it right. We couldn't have come home to this building without you.
It's taken time, and a lot of people caring about getting it right. But walking through the doors again, it feels less like something new and more like coming home.
We can't wait to have you back.
Tables are open now.
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