The L.T. Watkins Building is a large, imposing building on the corner of Cuba and Vivian Streets. Originally built in 1904 as a department store for Veitch and Allan, two successful drapers and businessmen, it has historical and social significance for its association with a variety of Wellington businesses, many of which were long running and well respected. Additionally, the building has architectural significance for its Edwardian character, contributing to the heritage values of the Cuba Street Historic Area (List No. 7209).

Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington was first settled by the people of the chief Tara, from whom the area gets its name. From the seventeenth century onwards their descendants, Ngāi Tara, were joined in occupying the area by other tribes including Ngāti Ira, Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Māmoe, and Ngāi Tahu. The 1820’s and early 1830’s was a period of massive unrest and upheaval attributed to the introduction of European muskets to Aotearoa, causing the migration south of Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Raukawa from the Waikato, and Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Tama, and Ngāti Mutunga from Taranaki. Pākehā settlers began to develop Cuba Street in the 1840’s with the first residence and shop, a drapery, being built in 1845.

Alexander Veitch and William Allan had been running a successful drapery firm since its beginnings on Courtney Place in 1880. They moved to the corner of Cuba and Vivian Street in 1888 and in 1904 had the current property built, requiring a larger premises due to their popularity and success. The building was designed by Robert Roy MacGregor in a stripped back version of the Edwardian Classical Style. The top corner windows are set into segmental arches, but the rest are of a plain, rectangular design. The large surface area of windows suggests a preference for a well-lit interior over a decorative façade. The building was originally topped with ornate curved gables and a parapet, though these were removed at some point, likely in the interests of earthquake safety.

In 1926 the building was sold to Lemuel Thomas Watkins (1874-1951), who used it to house his printing company, L.T. Watkins Ltd. Born in Christchurch to Welsh parents, Watkins completed his printing apprenticeship there before working for various firms in both Christchurch and Wellington. He was later employed as the works manager for the New Zealand Times and through this position, gained the respect and goodwill of many industry professionals and customers, including that of then premier Richard Seddon. This goodwill allowed him to open his own successful printing business, originally in partnership with two previous co-workers, Mr Tyler and Mr Tolan. Eventually Watkins bought out Tyler and Tolan becoming the sole proprietor and in 1925 he purchased the previous Veitch and Allan building to be used as a printing studio and book store. L.T. Watkins Ltd became a respected publishing, bookbinding and printing business, and was continued by Watkins’ son after his death in 1951.

In the years since, the bottom floor has been home to a variety of businesses and has continued to be a prosperous trading location; the current occupiers have all been in operation for over fifteen years. Midnight Espresso has been operating in the building since 1988, making it one of Wellington’s longest-standing cafés. The café was the catalyst for local coffee roasting company Havana Coffee Works, driven by a desire for better quality beans. S&M’s Cocktail Bar is a bar run by gay hospitality veterans Scotty and Malcolm Kennedy-Vaughan. S&M’s hosted a celebratory party for the 2013 passing of the Marriage Equality Bill, and both Scotty and Mal list this as one of their favourite moments running the bar.