Story: Restaurants and food outlets

Farmers' coffee bar, late 1950s

In the late 1950s a coffee bar was opened in the Farmers' department store in Auckland. This was a modern advance on traditional tearooms, which had been operating in the store for decades. The gleaming coffee machine and drinks menu in the foreground offer no place for tea.

Using this item

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira

Reference: 426B

Permission of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Perrin Rowland, Restaurants and food outlets – Liquor licensing and dining out, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/39592/farmers-coffee-bar-late-1950s (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Perrin Rowland, published 30 November 2012.

Comments

Karen
11 November 2022

I have fond memories of going to Farmers for a school holiday treat with siblngs. Marshmellow snowman was my favourite and talking to the Parrot. My mother worked as a seemstress on Mens Suits. I have a photo of her and her work friends, one was her bridesmaid. My parents bought there first settee set made by farmers when they first got married. I still have a chair to it which I re covered.