Prominent Dunedin architectural firm, Edmund Anscombe & Assoc. designed this building in 1923 for Collinson & Cunninghame. The Commerce Building, adjoining Regent Arcade, was erected as two shops in 1924, the contractor being F. Needham. The upper floor was designed as office space with one of the occupants there the architectural firm James Walker and Lloyd Love.
The shop adjoining the Regent Arcade was a grocery and fruiterer’s shop for about 40 years. Its “very extensive” basement allowed for bulk storage of goods. In 1961 the shop became a Self Help grocery store; and later Denis O’Brien Ltd.’s china and giftware shop with the basement a display area for fine dinnerware. Hopwoods Hardware bought it in 1977 and it was the shops china department until 1986. The other shop, now the Golden Tulip, has seemingly always been a bakery and confectionery – and the eye-catching little electric baker has been rolling his pastry in its front window for decades.
