With the strong desire to create an ‘All Day Trading’ multi-brand venue, Lion Breweries approached our studio with 260sqm of hospitality space within the new Grove precinct at Sylvia Park.

This was Lion’s opportunity to masterplan a concept to hero their craft and non-alcoholic portfolio. Gone was the traditional bar concept, this place had to hum from dawn until late.

Light, green & family-friendly, ‘The Little District’ is a combination of 3 unique brands; Market Square, Park Lane & The Municipal. A heavy, industrial frontage is fragmented only by oversized pops of golden, namesake lettering. Once through its doors, you find yourself in an overgrown, tropical utopia smothered in lush greenery.

Each offering is unique, yet the mishmash of choice allows the District to cater to all. The staircase reminiscent of a NY apartment fire escape, lofty stud walls clad in board & batten and faded, hand-painted signage all unfettered in ivy suggest a story that this lively new interior also holds tales of a past life.   

The Parklane Dispensary stands proud as the monolith of the District’s centre showcasing a concoction of traditional elegance and hand-crafted materials. With a tight budget in mind, emphasis was placed on details such as gold foiled letters which shine bright against the subtle rough sawn plywood base. The large, boxy bulkhead not only enhances the presence of the bar, but creates prominent spatial divisions that encourage flow throughout.

Municipal Coffee Company, a humble little cafe, sits quietly pushed into a corner hidden amongst a medley of old brick and raw steel. A transitional environment allows the cafe to rise first with the hustle & bustle of early morning laneway traffic and long blacks yet fall last as an espresso martini is slid across the bar under a dusky, warm glow.

Elements of the Little District are being rolled out across Lions new concept spaces, including the just-opened Little Creatures flagship in Hobsinville District, Auckland.