Soda Factory West End Archives

Soda Factory West End Seeks Mall Upgrade on Mollison Street

A development application has been lodged seeking approval for refurbishment works to the Mollison Street mall entry of The Soda Factory West End. The proposal seeks approval for the demolition, upgrade, and extension of centre activities within the established district centre.

Read: How Boundary St Building Evolved From Tristram Soft Drink Factory To West End Shopping Centre

The subject site is located at 79 Boundary Street and covers a total area of approximately 10,030 square metres. The site is zoned DC1 District Centre under the South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan.

According to planning documents prepared by Sinclair Planning, the mall is located in a separate building annexed to the Tristram’s Soft Drink Factory building — a Local Heritage Place — with an internal interface at the northern end of the mall. No works are proposed to the heritage-listed structure.

Proposed Refurbishment Works

Artist’s impression of refurbishment works at Soda Factory West End (Photo credit: Brisbane PD Online – A006923662)

The proposed refurbishment works include both external and internal modifications, as detailed in the planning documents.

On the exterior, works include partial demolition and upgrade to the Mollison Street façade, with a focus on replacing the existing awning over the entry stairs and accessibility lift, and enhancing overall façade finishes. The existing pedestrian ramp at the entry is proposed to be replaced with an accessibility lift, with the layout of the entry stairs also to be reconfigured.

Landscape planters are proposed along the Mollison Street building elevation, with the planning documents stating the intent is to positively contribute to the public domain and accentuate the mall entry point. Existing pedestrian seating will be retained and bicycle parking facilities are also to be retained.

Internally, modifications to existing tenancies are proposed to regularise shopfronts to the mall and to reduce the floor area of the existing mall kiosk. These internal changes result in the creation of new gross floor area, with the refurbishment yielding a net increase in tenancy GFA of approximately 37 square metres. Glazed automatic doors are also proposed near the northern end of the mall to maintain an air-conditioned internal environment. Modifications to the levels of the mall footway are proposed to remove the existing sloping gradient.

No changes are proposed to the centre’s current hours of operation, site access and servicing arrangements, refuse storage and collection, or ancillary on-site car parking. The Mollison Street footpath and road reserve will also remain unchanged.

Staged Delivery

The works are proposed to be delivered in stages. The initial stage involves the refurbishment of the western side of the Mollison Street mall, allowing continued public access and tenant operation during construction. The succeeding stage will address the eastern side of the mall following completion of the initial works.

Read: See The Stunning Mural At Soda Factory In West End

The application is listed under application reference A006923662. The full application documents are publicly available via the Brisbane development portal at developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au.

Published 23-February-2026

Century-Old Soda Factory in West End Sold for $42-M

The iconic Soda Factory in West End has been sold this week for $42 million in an off-market deal to a private investor.

Read: How Boundary St Building Evolved From Tristram Soft Drink Factory To West End Shopping Centre

Located at 79 Boundary Street, the site is a cornerstone of the community, anchored by a Coles supermarket and supported by 21 retailers, primarily focusing on food and allied health services.

The sale was negotiated by CBRE’s Joe Tynan and Michael Hedger. Tynan highlighted that they had been collaborating with the investor for an extended period and identified the Soda Factory as a key target. A direct approach to the vendor enabled them to negotiate and secure a favourable outcome.

The buyer, an esteemed commercial and residential group, is known for its active market presence and strong ties to the West End area, according to CBRE.

A Century-Long Legacy

The Soda Factory’s rich history dates back over a century, named after the Tristram soft drink factory that once thrived on the site. Thomas Tristram founded the original company, T Tristram Essences, in 1875, not long after arriving in Brisbane.

Initially operating from his family home at the corner of Grey and Hope Street, the company moved to Boundary Street in West End after the council requisitioned the original property for road improvements.

In July 1929, the Tristram family acquired the Boundary Street land. By January 1930, Thomas Tristram had engaged the renowned architects Atkinson, Powell, and Conrad to design a state-of-the-art factory. The Tristram soft drink factory operated until 1979, after which the business transitioned into Trisco Foods, now managed by the fifth generation of the Tristram family.

Transformation and Redevelopment

The former soft drink factory was transformed into the West End Market Shopping Centre during the 1980s. In 2001, Heritage Pacific redeveloped the site, creating a mixed-use major retail facility and residential apartments. The property changed hands in 2014 when SCA Property Group purchased it for $32 million.

Read: Frozen Legacy in West End: A Century of Ice Cream Dreams at Peters Factory

The recent sale to the private investor marks another chapter in the Soda Factory’s storied existence, ensuring that this historic site continues to be a vital part of the West End community.

Published 25-June-2024

See The Stunning Mural At Soda Factory In West End

Aboriginal artists Tori-Jay Mordey and Warraba Weatherall (Photo credit: Soda Factory/Facebook)

The Markets West End, recently rebranded as Soda Factory, has unveiled a stunning mural that highlights suburb’s connection with its Aboriginal heritage.

Read: Coles Scraps Little Shop Collectables For Sustainability Goals

The mural is Soda Factory’s collaboration with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island artists, Tori-Jay Mordey and Warraba Weatherall, which draws inspiration from the native flora traditionally grown in the West End area.

Weatherall, an installation and street artist from the Kamilaroi Nation of South-West Queensland said that they looked at the historical and environmental aspects of the site in an artistic way, making sure that there’s still an acknowledgement of place even though there is a building there now.

“In coming up with the concept for the mural we focused on looking at what was here before there was a building, especially the native plants that would have grown. The painting itself takes a lot of time – around a week in addition to the concept design. Getting the colours right was very important. Anything with colour that pops was key and lightens up the space and stands out,” said Mordey, an established Torres Strait Islander illustrator.

Soda Factory’s Refurbishment

The rebranded retail precinct pays homage to the building’s original use as a soda making facility. The Spanish Mission styled factory building remained in use by Tristrams until 1979 and has since been converted into a market.

Soda Factory’s multi-million-dollar refurbishment, which commenced January 2021 is nearing completion. The redevelopment will see the site elevated into a new-look, convenience-based centre anchored by a newly redeveloped full-line Coles Supermarket and an additional 22 specialty stores.

In addition to the internal mall area’s renovations, other improvements will include new travellators and lift, upgraded amenities, activated street frontage, and redeveloped car park.