Auckland grew rapidly within decades of its founding in 1840 as a port for international shipping. In response, warehouses sprung up along the waterfront. The French Renaissance style Customhouse was built in 1889 to manage the trade. Other government offices occupied the upper floors. The architect for the Customhouse was Edward Mahoney. Born in County Cork, Ireland, Mahoney became a prolific designer of Auckland’s schools and churches during the late 19th century. After an extensive renovation, the landmark reopened as the T Galleria by DFS, a duty-free retailer based in Hong Kong. The Victorian building is listed as Category 1 by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
