Our STORY

Our space may be new, but the story of our building started in 1930.

T.O.M.S Place is a beautiful, welcoming and comfortable shared workplace (a.k.a serviced office) and meeting space in the heart of Brunswick. We’re not your average cookie-cutter office space - we’ve created a vibrant place for our community to meet, work and create within one of Brunswick’s most iconic heritage buildings,1 Tripovich Street. Once home to Brunswick’s first produce market, we’ve brought life back to this 1930s gem in creating a home for small businesses, community events and skill-sharing.

Who is ‘Tom’?

Well, Tom Padula is the name of the man who owned this wonderful building between 1999 and 2016. He is a much-loved Brunswick local and quite a character, but actually T.O.M.S stands for ‘The Old Market Space’ which pays homage to the building’s origin as the former Brunswick Market.

Screen Shot 2019-05-29 at 6.30.00 pm.png

THE BUILDING

Locals know 1 Tripovich Street as The Old Brunswick Market. It’s a well-known local landmark, although it only operated as a market for a couple of years, and has had many reincarnations throughout its life.

A retail entrepreneur first opened the building in 1930 with the intention to be an alternative market to Victoria Market for the locals, pioneering a self-service model. The Spanish Mission style, which was prevalent in California in the mid 20s-30s, was particularly fashionable in Melbourne. Designed by the iconic Australian architect IG Anderson and built by JC Taylor and Sons, the evolution of the building had strong ties with Geelong. The striking architectural design was intended to get people talking and draw the crowds in. Even today, it’s a striking building nestled between the Victorian frontages of Sydney Road.

Sustaining a new venture was a challenge during the Depression and the market had gone into administration by 1933. After it folded, the building had various uses - it was used as storage for the Red Cross, a cardboard box maker after that and even a skating rink in the 40s.

Timeline

Featured

1930

The new Brunswick Market opens at 8pm on 19 September 1930. The market promised increased competition for cheaper food prices at the time of the Depression. The opening ceremony began at 12.30 that day, officiated by popular MLA for the seat of Brunswick and former Lygon Street butcher, James Jewell. It was declared t hat 95% of the timber used in the project was Australian and 95% of the labour employed hailed from Brunswick.

The market comprised 71 shops and stalls.

April 1933

Despite the campaign to persuade Brunswick residents about the befits of local market shopping, the venture ran into financial difficulties. A liquidator was appointed in April 1933 and the company consequently resolved to wind up voluntarily.

1939-41

By 1941 the Brunswick Skating Rink occupied the market building.

1942

The building was used for storage by the Red Cross Society who continued to occupy the market building until early 1950s.

1950

Holeproof Limited of 204 Sydney Road became the next owner until May 1961 when it was advertised for public auction as a substantial single store brick factory/warehouse