Kodak House: Brisbane’s Famous Kodak Store on Queen Street
For generations of Brisbane residents, Kodak was almost synonymous with photography - and at the heart of that story stood Kodak House at 250–252 Queen Street.
The impressive six-storey building was constructed in 1913 and opened in January 1914, almost directly opposite Brisbane’s General Post Office. It became the home of Kodak’s Brisbane retail store and an important centre for the company’s Queensland operations.
But Kodak’s Brisbane story began more than two decades earlier.
KEY MILESTONES
1891 – Baker & Rouse bought the Lichtner & Co photographic business at 9 Hayes Buildings, Elizabeth Street. Just two months later, the expanding business moved to 46 Queen Street.
1905 – Baker & Rouse became the sole Australian distributors for Kodak products and moved to 78 Queen Street to accommodate its growing photographic business.
1908 – Baker & Rouse merged with Eastman Kodak to form an Australian Kodak subsidiary, although its retail stores continued operating under the Baker & Rouse name for several more years.
1911 – Kodak Australasia Limited was established, bringing the Brisbane business firmly under the Kodak name.
1913–1914 – Kodak constructed its impressive new six-storey Kodak House at 250–252 Queen Street, which opened in January 1914.
Inside, customers could find the latest Kodak and Brownie cameras, photographic film, papers, chemicals and a wide range of accessories. Kodak also provided photographic processing, printing and enlargement services.
And then there were the windows!
Kodak’s Queen Street displays were far more than simple shop windows. They were elaborate advertising installations packed with cameras, photographs, posters and decorative scenery.
Surviving photographs from the 1910s and 1920s show just how spectacular they could be. Displays promoted seasons, holidays, new Kodak products and local events, with slogans including “Easter Time is Kodak Time” and “Take a Kodak with you.”
Around 1920, another Queen Street display promoted the Brisbane Henley, demonstrating how Kodak used local events and photographic exhibitions to attract the attention of passing shoppers.
By the mid-1920s, Kodak had expanded further, opening a dedicated developing and processing laboratory in Drake Street, West End, where customers’ photographs could be processed.
Kodak House remained a familiar Queen Street landmark for decades and continued as a Kodak retail store and service centre into the 1970s.
The six-storey building was later demolished, bringing an end to one of Brisbane’s most recognisable photographic landmarks.
Thankfully, photographs preserved in the Kodak Heritage Collection provide us with an extraordinary glimpse into Brisbane’s early photographic and retail history.
It’s fascinating to think that more than a century ago, Brisbane shoppers could stand outside Kodak House and browse displays promoting the latest photographic technology - much like window-shopping for the latest gadgets today.
A note on our visuals: To help bring this story to life, we’ve included some computer-generated illustrations. While we’ve aimed for historical accuracy, AI-generated images can contain minor errors or artistic interpretation. They are used solely for educational, non-commercial history storytelling. Dave & Malou image is AI-generated.
