Bond Street

Bond Street connects Willis Street, Victoria Street, Cornhill Street and Cuba Street, although the connection to Willis and Cuba Street are pedestrian only.

First named Customhouse Street which was a small lane that connected Willis Street to the water before reclamation. Then named Old Customhouse Street, as can be seen on the Thomas Ward map 1892.  It was renamed around 1930 to Bond Street after the first customs store for bonded goods which was on the street. 

Bond Street has been an important place for commerce since the beginning of Wellington. It is the street of Bethune & Hunter (1841) the oldest business quarters in Wellington, the building stood on the corner of Bond and Cornhill Street. It was decided to be demolished in 1958 and replaced by a parking building.

In 1928 Wellington City Council began works to widen Bond Street, then still known as Old Customhouse Street, and Farish Street, which is now Victoria Street. The work caused some issues and also allowed for the construction of one of Wellington's iconic buildings. The building now knows as Hibernian Building. Part of the Wellington City Council Heritage schedule and also known as Nimmo’s, Nimmo Building or Economous Building is on the corner of Bond Street and Willis Street. Built in 1929, after the widening of Bond Street meant part of a warehouse owned by the Nimmo family had to be demolished. Hamilton Nimmo struck a deal with Wellington City Council meaning a new building with an extended frontage to Bond Street could be built. The building was built in an Art Deco style by Fletcher construction for Hamilton Nimmo of Nimmo and Sons Ltd. Nimmo's started life as a piano store, then expanded to radios, and finally to the "Wellington institution" record store, which closed in 1985.