Two People’s Coffee cafes changing hands

Monday, 3 March 2025

Two Wellington cafes - one in the CBD, and one in Newtown - are changing hands, both going to baristas, one the reigning New Zealand champion.

People’s Coffee founder Matt Lamason told The Post he was in the process of selling his cafes on Luke’s Lane and Constable St but was keeping his Mansfield St roastery in Newtown.

Lamson started the roastery at the Constable St cafe in 2004, sourcing beans from fair trade cooperatives all over the world. It is independently owned and operated.

He said the sale of the stores was “a double-edged sword” as reaching where he was now meant he could start moving ahead.

The last few years had been difficult, and it had been hard running the retail side of the business alongside the other revenue channels the business provided.

“We've made a decision to become a bit more cottage and have everything under one roof.”

The Mansfield St roastery and cafe in Newtown would continue to act as a community hub, Lamason said.

“It will be the beating heart of People’s - from roasting, drinking and experiencing coffee and the wonderful connections it creates,” he said.

Parting with the Constable St cafe was hard, Lamason said, as it was where people first tried People’s Coffee, and two of his children had been born upstairs.

But it would continue serving People’s Coffee, as it was being purchased by one of Lamason’s baristas, Loren, and her partner Sam.

“Loren has been our quality control specialist and as a barista will be a familiar face to many,” Lamason said.

The Luke’s Lane store is being taken over by Honoka Kawashima, New Zealand’s reigning barista champion, alongside the owners of New Chapter Cafe and Hammerstone Coffee roastery.