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Learn more about the Christchurch City Re:START village project being setup in the Cashel Mall.
Businesses moving into the City Mall precinct include a mix of old tenants, big brands and pre-quake central city stalwarts.
Kathmandu will be the main anchor of the northern precinct, with fashion shops – including Trelise Cooper and Maher Shoes – clustered around the Crafted Coffee cafe.
The southern precinct will be huddled next to Ballantynes, with many well-known former central-city shops such as Johnson's Grocery Store, formerly in Colombo St, and Scorpio Books, formerly in Hereford St.
Project architect Anton Tritt, of the Buchan Group, said shipping containers had been chosen for the precinct because they were strong. They could also be reused at a new site if landowners decided to put up more permanent buildings.
Because of an agreement with the landowners, new tenants were given leases of only six months, with the entire shopping precinct scheduled to be dismantled after Easter next year.
However, some organisers expressed hope that, if successful, the containers could remain for years.
Kooky Fashion is one of the tenants returning to City Mall after its building was destroyed in the February quake.
Managing director Jason Dunn said he expected the shipping containers to stay for up to two years.
"If it's going well the building owners are getting something for nothing really," he said.Kooky has successfully relocated to Riccarton, but Dunn said he was keen to take advantage of a rejuvenated central city.
He believed the mall would draw predominantly weekend shoppers, but there was the potential for people to come to the precinct as a destination during the week as well.
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