Source: Auckland Council
Heritage architects describe Strand Arcade as one of the grandest surviving shopping arcades in New Zealand. Some of the ornate elements present today were part of the earliest purpose-built arcade in the country dating back to 1899.
A jewel of Auckland’s retail heritage at 233 Queen Street, the arcade has caught the eye of a young Korean chef turned coffee innovator who is bringing new energy and artistry to the historic Strand Arcade.
Appreciating the potential of the site and the building itself – located between two City Rail Link station entrances / exits in the heart of midtown – Blues Shim (26) has plans to reinvigorate the 125-year-old arcade.
“I always wanted to be an artist. For me food and beverage creativity is the best art form as it inspires all five senses. Food is my art and at Slow Koi our baristas are artists,” he says.
Recently opened with jet black interior, relaxed vibe and tranquil aquarium, Blues Shim’s new coffee brewing shop Slow Koi is expanding Aucklanders’ coffee repertoire and bringing people back to midtown.
“I want to express my art with a gallery of brands in Strand Arcade, painting a different brand on each shop. Our group’s plan is to have seven shops here by the end of this year; maybe as many as twelve,” Blues says.
Born in South Korea in the city of Busan, Blues came to Auckland as a teenage chef. We sat down to chat with Blues in his stylish new store and soon discovered that there is much more to the art of coffee than a flat white and long black.
Councillor Richard Hills says it’s exciting to see so many fantastic businesses coming into midtown, with the city centre feeling alive and bustling again.
“The council team has put a lot of effort and resources into attracting people back into the city through redeveloped public spaces, pedestrian-friendly walkways, better public transport networks and activations like our Lunar New Year festival.
“We’re thrilled businesses like Slow Koi are seeing the positive future of this area as a great place to open a business. We’re looking forward to seeing what else is in store for the historic Strand Arcade,” Councillor Hills says.
This Q&A is not an endorsement or paid partnership. It is part of an occasional series shining light on the regeneration of midtown and some of the people who are playing a part in it. The Auckland Council group announced an investment of $155million in multiple projects to regenerate midtown in September 2021. Many are delivered already.
Our Q&A with Blues Shim:
What does Slow Koi mean?
Koi is a Japanese fish. I had to have it for the name. I love taking care of fish. I love to watch fish swim. It relaxes me a lot. Coffee in Japanese is the word ‘kohi’. So coffee and koi have a good similarity for me. We wanted to show coffee can be a good slow drink. Coffee gives joy and helps you chill and heal from hard work. Thankfully a lot of people love the vibe. They love the concept. It’s going really well. I feel very happy that people are coming to midtown to find Slow Koi and discover Strand Arcade. They relax. Just chill.
Blues Shim creating his coffee blends at Slow Koi.
Why did you choose Strand Arcade for Slow Koi?
There are already a lot of good streets in the city centre – Lorne Street, High Street, Britomart, Chancery – but I thought Elliott Street had potential. I just thought ‘wow!’ when I saw this building. This is such a beautiful building; one of New Zealand’s heritage buildings. I saw tourists taking photos. I couldn’t believe it was empty. It was sad. I wanted to do something here.
What was the potential you saw?
When I first saw Elliott Street, businesses were having a hard time due to many pressures including construction. But we could see a big potential here. Auckland Council’s regeneration of midtown really excites me. I was looking for a place. I want to open different food and beverage outlets here. We are excited about what midtown is going to look like in two or three years after the City Rail Link is established.
What is the vibe of the midtown food and beverage scene?
Midtown is packed with different cultures from different countries. A lot of small, passionate, authentic restaurants serve great food here. And I love the midtown street parties. A new series is starting this month and we’ll have them on every third Thursday of every month. I DJ through the window of Slow Koi and I see a lot of people from many cultures getting involved and joining together, eating great food, hearing live music and having fun. It has a unique kind of energy.
What are some of the other brands you plan to bring to Strand Arcade?
You’ll soon see ‘Hi Toastie’, which brings coffee and toasties together from many cities across Asia. I’m hoping to bring ‘My Mura’ which means ‘eat a lot’ in Korean. ‘Yooa & Tako’ is another brand we’re developing, and an Argentinian brand ‘Asado’. Our food and beverage will be authentic flavours from many different Asian cities, and all over the world.
For more stories about midtown’s change makers and change embracers, visit ProgressAKL. You’ll meet passionate Aucklanders who are giving midtown a new burst of energy. Hear their stories. Feel their optimism. Join midtown’s new momentum.
Like Blues, they are excited to see how the Auckland Council group is transforming midtown ahead of 2026 when the City Rail Link’s Te Waihorotiu Station opens. The station will bring thousands of people into midtown’s renewed laneways, streets and spaces every day.
Inside Te Waihorotiu Station; photo supplied by City Rail Link; taken in February 2025.
Read about the recent delivery of the first stage of a redesigned Victoria Street at OurAuckland.
Victoria Street is one of three east-west streets in the Te Waihorotiu Station neighbourhood undergoing a major transformation to create a new gateway for the city centre. Before the regeneration of midtown, Victoria Street, Wellesley Street and Mayoral Drive were dense traffic routes carrying more than four lanes of cars, trucks and buses, with cyclists hugging the edges, pedestrians vying with scooters along narrow footpaths and a noisy environment for businesses.
Victoria St.
In the regeneration, Wellesley Street will become an important central city bus interchange, and the upgraded Victoria Street will make connecting between walking, cycling, high frequency bus routes, and the train station easier and safer.
Jenny Larking Auckland Council Head of City Centre Programmes says: “We recognise that beautiful public spaces encourage social interaction, creating a strong sense of community and belonging. These spaces become the stages where city life unfolds, memories are made, and a city’s identity is forged. We are creating streets and spaces that are authentic, safe, sustainable and reflective of our place in the world, with mana whenua-led expression woven throughout, while continuing to support the operations of a busy city centre.”