T2 has opened a new concept store at Melbourne Central, marking the first step in a brand-wide reinvention programme ahead of its 30th anniversary in 2026. The compact 100 square metre space introduces a renewed focus on sensory engagement, craftsmanship and community connection within retail.
Designed in collaboration with Landini Associates, the store serves as a prototype for future sites across Australia and internationally. The project signals a new direction for the brand, which was founded in Melbourne in 1996 and is now part of Lipton Teas and Infusions.
Christelle Young, Managing Director at T2, said: “We’re focused on reigniting the creativity and boldness that have always defined us, while creating a retail experience that invites people to connect with tea in inspiring ways”.
Key features of the store include a double-height tea library constructed from black oxidised steel, flexible modular cube displays, and a full-length sensory bar offering tastings and brewing demonstrations. The space also includes a striking hand-painted mural by Bailer, a Melbourne-based street artist known for transforming urban environments through bold, large-scale works.
The materials palette is industrial and monochromatic, chosen to contrast with T2’s distinctive orange packaging and highlight the tea collection. Lighting, scent and sound are precisely curated to create a calm, immersive setting that encourages exploration.
“This store is the starting point for T2’s next phase of growth,” said David Spires, Strategy Director at Landini Associates. “It explores how T2 might engage customers and communicate the brand moving forward”.
Wayne Cheng, Design Director at Landini Associates, added: “Our intention is to hero experience over transaction, theatre over theme, and ritual over retail”.
The launch at Melbourne Central introduces the first in a series of updated retail formats, with more locations planned as T2’s reinvention continues.
