KeepCup pops top on sale of former Fitzroy HQ
The former home of KeepCup is up for sale in the environmentally conscious inner north.
Savills Melbourne has listed the 632sq m Westgarth St, Fitzroy corner warehouse space on behalf of the family than runs the business with price expectations of at least $5.5 million.
Savills agent Clinton Baxter says the owners have “spent a fortune creating a very modern sustainable office space” since buying it about eight years ago.
KeepCup was founded by former cafe owners Jamie and Abigail Forsyth in 2007 “following unsuccessful trials of existing reusable cups”, which led to them deciding to “design and make their own”.
The first KeepCups were sold to Melburnians nearly ten years ago at a small, underground design market; they’re now prolific throughout the city and state.
Proximity to Brunswick St is a plus.
“Today, KeepCups are used in more than 65 countries around the world … users divert millions of disposable cups from landfill every day, and through their actions inspire others to do the same,” the company’s website states.
The prominent reusable coffee cup manufacturer has relocated to a larger space nearby in Clifton Hill.
Its old home has plenty of eco credentials, including rooftop solar panels and a Tesla Powerwall battery.
The sellers “spent a fortune” decking out the interior.
Cool warehouse spaces.
Baxter, who is selling the property with Jesse Radisich and Benson Zhou, says developers wanting to capitalise on the location just off Brunswick St and “incredibly strong demand” for apartments in Fitzroy will be attracted to the mixed-use zoned site.
“Developers are always asking us for sites in Fitzroy and this one is exactly what the market has been desperately seeking,” he says.
It was also “quite conceivable” an owner-occupier business would buy the site and use it the same way KeepCup had, or an investor that would lease it out.
Roll up the doors and roll out to trendy Fitzroy.
Another owner-occupier business could buy the property.
But the most likely development outcome would be a multi-level unit project at the 70-76 Westgarth St site on the corner of Fitzroy St.
“There is a transition underway from its industrial past to high density living at the moment but there are very few land transactions and demand from developers and apartment buyers is huge right throughout Fitzroy,” Baxter says.
The property will be auctioned on site at noon on Friday, March 27.
This article from the Herald Sun originally appeared as “KeepCup moving on up, business owners selling old Fitzroy HQ”.
