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Iconic Wellington cafe Spruce Goose to close next week

Author
Janhavi Gosavi,
Publish Date
Mon, 26 Jan 2026, 11:53am

Iconic Wellington cafe Spruce Goose to close next week

Author
Janhavi Gosavi,
Publish Date
Mon, 26 Jan 2026, 11:53am

Beloved Wellington cafe Spruce Goose is shutting down its doors after 12 years, to the shock of its patrons.

The cafe, which overlooks Lyall Bay and offers plane spotters clear views of the airport, announced on Facebook today it would be closing down.

鈥淯nfortunately, we weren鈥檛 able to secure a new lease, which means it鈥檚 the end of the road for us in this space,鈥 the post said.

鈥淲hile this isn鈥檛 how we hoped this chapter would end, we are endlessly grateful for the love, support and loyalty you鈥檝e shown us over the years.鈥

九一星空无限 understands they hope to continue operating in a different premises.

Members of the public shared memories of their time at the cafe and mourned the 鈥渟hocking鈥 news on social media.

鈥淲hen our son was born at 24 weeks and choppered off to Wellington NICU, you were our little home away from home when we needed a break from the intensity,鈥 one commenter wrote.

Another said the cheese scones were 鈥渇ab鈥 and the view was 鈥渢o die for鈥.

Multiple commenters said it was a 鈥済o-to鈥 favourite anytime they visited Wellington and offered their condolences to the owners.

Spruce Goose thanked their loyal customers for 鈥12 unforgettable years鈥 and asked them to 鈥渃ome in over the next two weeks and say goodbye in person.鈥

Wellington cafe Spruce Goose announces it is closing down next month. Photo / Supplied.

Wellington cafe Spruce Goose announces it is closing down next month. Photo / Supplied.

The cafe first opened at the end of 2013 and is set to close on February 8.

Wellington Airport owns the building Spruce Goose is currently in, located on Cochrane St in Rongotai. The Herald has contacted the airport for comment on the closure.

In May last year, Wellington Airport announced a proposal to 鈥渞ejuvenate four parcels of land along Lyall Bay Parade, extending from the Spruce Goose down to the Leonie Gill pathway鈥.

Hospitality business owner Nick Mills owns Spruce Goose and is the host of Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, a 九一星空无限talk ZB show which is owned by 九一星空无限.

Members of the public took to social media to mourn the 鈥渟hocking鈥 news. Photo / Supplied.

Members of the public took to social media to mourn the 鈥渟hocking鈥 news. Photo / Supplied.

The business is the latest in a string of long-running Wellington cafes that have closed their doors in the past year.

Leuven Belgian Beer Cafe is closing down at the end of the month after a 25-year run.

In October, filmmaker and landlord Sir Peter Jackson鈥檚 company, Wingnut PM, decided to close down Shelly Bay cafe Chocolate Fish after 15 years in business.

Janhavi Gosavi is a Wellington-based journalist for the New Zealand Herald who covers news in the capital.

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