Tag: The Soda Factory

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

Soda Factory
Tristram’s Grey Street Factory (Photo credit: triscofoods.com.au)

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.

Soda Factory
Tristram’s factory on Boundary St (Photo credit: triscofoods.com.au)

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

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

Did you know that The Soda Factory in West End was named in honour of the Tristram soft drink factory that once operated on the site for decades? Here’s a look back at the history of Brisbane’s now-defunct soft drink manufacturing company, a well-known brand in the city up to the 1970s.

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

Thomas Tristram founded the company as T Tristram Essences in 1875, almost a decade after arriving in Brisbane. Two years later, he partnered with Owen Gardiner who helped him open a factory at the rear of his family home on the corner of Grey and Hope Street. 

Tristram Soft Drink Factory
Thomas Tristram (Photo credit: triscofoods.com.au)

T Tristam was forced to vacate the property at Hope St after Council took it for a road improvement project.

Tristram Soft Drink Factory
Tristram’s Grey Street Factory (Photo credit: triscofoods.com.au)

T Tristram later acquired a property at 69 Boundary St, West End and commissioned Atkinson, Powell and Conrad to design a new factory. The factory building had a Spanish Mission style design, which is quite unusual in Brisbane during those times.

Tristram Soft Drink Factory
Tristram’s factory on Boundary St (Photo credit: triscofoods.com.au)

When T Tristam Aerated Waters and Brewed Beverages opened at Boundary St in 1930, a write-up on The Architectural and Building Journal described the building as “thoroughly modern in every aspect, with a well laid out garden and lawns occupying the front of the site.”

Queueing for a take-away meal and a Tristram’s soft drink at the RNA Exhibition in 1949 (Photo credit: Brisbane John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland)

Tristram produced different variants of their products, such as Ginger Beer, Lime Rickey, Sarsaparilla, TriCola, Lemonade, Indian Tonic, Soda Water, and Ginger Ale.

Photo credit: sha11yn/Reddit

When T Tristram passed away at the turn of the century, his wife Emily Constance Tristram took over the business, along with their two sons and three daughters.

Tristram’s became the soft drink of choice for generations, until the factory was sold in 1979 to Cadbury Schweppes.

The Markets

Photo credit: https://heritage.brisbane.qld.gov.au/ 

The former soft drink factory was converted into West End Market Shopping Centre during the 1980s, based on designs of late architect Gary Georgeson.

Heritage Pacific acquired the shopping centre, also known as The Markets, and redeveloped the iconic building in 2001 to incorporate a mixed use major retail facility and apartments.

Soda Factory West End

Photo credit: Soda Factory/Facebook

The site is now home to Soda Factory West End, a neigbourhood centre with a newly refurbished Coles Supermarket and 22 specialty retailers. It’s being run by the SCA Property Group, who purchased the property in 2014 for $32 million.

Whilst the building underwent major renovations, its main facade was retained, as part of the group’s vision to preserve its historical value. 

Meanwhile, the Tristram soft drink factory may be gone but the business continues to thrive as Trisco Foods, which is currently being managed by the fifth generation of the family.  

Read: How Boundary Street in West End and Spring Hill Got Its Name

Trisco Foods, now with an established factory at Carole Park, focuses on manufacturing ingredients such as syrups and sundaes. The company was named Queensland’s Exporter of the Year in 2019.