Collier's Music House was established in New Plymouth in 1875 and at one stage had branches in Opunake, Hāwera, Whanganui, Taumarunui and Palmerston North. This building once housed Taranaki's first radio station, 2YB, (Taranaki Daily News 16 November 1996) which began broadcasting from here in April 1929. In 1932 the station moved to the Empire Building in King Street (now the Victoria Building) from where it operated until 1952.

A permit was granted for the Collier's building on 12 September, 1925. The estimated cost was £3,700, the architect was T.H. Bates and the builder was Frank Amoore. The Taranaki Daily News described it as an "imposing structure" in this 1926 article.

Collier's moved from the building in 1991 to new premises on Devon Street East. The business finally ceased trading in 1995.

The building is listed in the New Plymouth CBD Heritage Inventory (1995).

 

Related Information

Website

2YB broadcasting studio, Collier's building, New Plymouth (Puke Ariki collection)

Link

Collier's Music House Window Display 1976 (Puke Ariki collection)

Link

Please do not reproduce these images without permission from Puke Ariki. 
Contact us for more information or you can order images online here.