Wrigley's Building, c.1930- (Place)

SummaryWrigleys Building, on the east side of Devonport Road, is typical of local commercial development between the World Wars. Dating from c.1930 (shown as a brick building on the 1934 Tauranga Survey Map), it reflects a period of expansion and consolidation in the town centre during the 1930s, when timber structures were progressively replaced by masonry buildings and Devonport Road evolved into a more consistent commercial area.

It's designed in a simple Art Deco style with restrained low-relief detailing: a fluted plaster band along the parapet, small flanking bands beneath it, a central stepped pediment, and raised plaster lettering. The upper level includes a projecting bay window, reinforcing the façade’s horizontal emphasis. A single-storey wing to the north repeats the decorative treatment, and a continuous suspended verandah unifies both sections.

Historically, the building was in use as a pharmacy by 1934, though it may have been constructed earlier in the immediate post–First World War period. The property was owned by John Julius Wrigley in 1921 and by Charles Frederick Wrigley in 1942, remaining in Wrigley family ownership until 1977. The building forms part of an intact group of 1920s–30s buildings on Devonport Road that together make an important contribution to the established built character and identity of Tauranga’s CBD.SourcesArabin, Shirley, in "Unravelling the Wrigleys" Tauranga Historical Society Blog, August 2021Wrigley, John (Jack) Julius, 1876-1937 (Person)Central Tauranga Heritage Study : part two, April 2008Tauranga properties in the city centre - sheet 2

Photographs

54 Devonport Road

Our People (authority)

Wrigley, John (Jack) Julius, 1876-1937 (Person)

Photographed in July 2015 by Rodney Giddens, Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 15-227

Usage

Kaitiakitanga StatementWe ask that, in addition to normal copyright and privacy considerations, users of our heritage resources uphold the mana and dignity of the people, communities and places depicted within.CopyrightTe Ao Mārama - Tauranga City LibrariesLicenseCC BY 4.0AcknowledgementTe Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries, Wrigley's Building, c.1930- (Place)

Known Date/s

Date Builtc.1930

Location

Location54 Devonport Road, TaurangaLatitude/Longitude^[1]

Relates To

Start here:Devonport Road, Tauranga (Place)

Admin

AuthorTe Ao Mārama - Tauranga City LibrariesType of ContributionLibrary authorityTaxonomyStories | Places

Start typing here to find a location	Latitude	Longitude	Zoom	Actions

loading google map....

Save Cancel

Menu

Wrigley's Building, c.1930- (Place)