‘Supercharged soon’: Library’s return set to reignite heart of Wellington city

Saturday, 20 September 2025

It’s been gifted a name that means “a window to the wider world” - its business neighbours hope the newly renovated Wellington central library will be a lure for the wider world to come back to the central city.

“This is about more than just a library – it’s about bringing back a place where people gather. It has been so missed for so many years,” Susanna Andrew of Unity Books told The Post.

It’s forecast that more than two million visitors a year will visit Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui – almost double pre-closure levels - after the library re-opens in March. It’s had a $218 million redevelopment, after closing in March 2019 to undergo years of construction.

“That was the heart of Wellington: Te Ngākau Square, the gallery, the library, that huge big space. So much of Wellington has tight corners but that expanse really does hold the centre of the city,” Andrew said.

On nearby Victoria Street, Ian and Christine Douglas of The Village Goldsmith agreed the library was one of those reliable engines bringing people into the city.

“When it shut, you noticed the difference almost immediately. It wasn’t just the numbers, it was the energy,” said Ian.

Christine added: “Every day you’d feel it. Fewer families, fewer students drifting through. For retail and hospo, it’s the everyday visits that matter and those disappeared.”

But they hope for an upswing in the economy their business has been part of for nearly three decades.

“It’s been on a pacemaker that’s been on low battery. But it’s going to be supercharged very soon,” said Ian.

The years of construction hit businesses in the area hard but Village Goldsmith managed to keep going regardless of waning foot traffic and local building works.

“Demolition is very disruptive as far as having to close out streets and create safe zones and parking, and none of those things from a retail perspective are great,” Ian said. “But to the council’s credit, they’ve been really good at keeping communications going.”

The library team invited business owners and staff from around Willis St, Mercer St and Victoria St for a tour in the middle of May through the development.

“It’s not just about a building, it’s about confidence,” Ian said. “If the city invests in this and makes it permanent, then as a business you feel more comfortable investing too. It shows that Wellington is not standing still.”

Andrew said the new Te Matapihi went beyond books: “There’s a room where you can do filming, a room for pottery, wet and dry rooms, and flexible spaces designed so people will sit on the steps or gather for poetry readings or small concerts.”

“They’ve opened all four corners of the building. You can look right across to the harbour, to Te Papa, up to Mount Vic. It blew my mind how big their vision was.”

Even practical touches, like 80 new public toilets, matter. “It sounds silly, but public facilities are so sorely lacking. All those make a real difference,” Andrew said.

Next door to the Village Goldsmith, Iris Beauty had been navigating the building disruptions since opening in February 2023. Founder Hannah Wiles combined retail with treatment services to create “a beauty buffet”, offering services from make-up lessons and brows to facial therapy.

Construction on her doorstep had been both a frustration and a fact of life for the business. “There’ve been weeks where I’ve wanted to crawl into a hole because of the noise,” Wiles said.

“But the project managers have been great at keeping us informed.”

The shop, once a Wishbone café, had become a destination for loyal customers, Wiles told The Post. She opened the business after honing her skills in the beauty industry at home and overseas, and across global brands. She chose the spot to be close to major Kiwi fashion retailers like Juliette Hogan, Ahu Boutique, World and Kilt.

“Foot traffic has been OK, but so far people mostly come to us because they’ve booked something or they know we stock brands that are hard to find,” she said.

“Honestly, this is all we’ve ever known. We’ve been here for 2.5 years and the work was already under way when we moved in.”

But Wiles was optimistic the reopening will change that dynamic: “I heard someone call Te Matapihi Wellington’s living room, and that’s what it feels like.”

“I used it when I was at school to just hang out, and now it’s coming back bigger, brighter, with the square open again. I think it’ll bring a lot more people into the area, and that’s exactly what small businesses like us need.”

For other newer ventures, like vintage clothing store Preloved Charlies, the reopening was equally encouraging.

“The shop space was just perfect for our business model,” owner Mikaela Venimore said. “When I looked at the area, I learned that a lot of things were development, that made us feel a lot more confident.”

Venimore, who founded the business after arriving from Sweden just before the Covid lockdown, grew the business from a bedroom side hustle into a store with six staff. The first physical store was on Vivian St and moved to Victoria St less than a year ago.

“[Te Matapihi] will bring all age groups into the city,” she said. “There are a lot of students and young professionals in the area. With the new library and cafes opening nearby, I think this will become a little hotspot.”

With Unity Books approaching its 60th anniversary in 2027, Andrew said the store was intertwined with the city’s cultural fabric.

“Obviously we’re hopeful there’ll be more foot traffic,” Andrew said. “Everyone’s feeling the economic downturn.”

“Books are no different, though we’ve been lucky not to feel it as badly as others. But the return of an education and literary centre will pay local businesses back majorly.”

“We’ve just been wandering around waiting for that part of Wellington to come back to us,” Andrew said. “Now it finally will.”