Re:START

Re: Start is an incredible example of the creativity and resilience of the people of Christchurch. Not wanting to wait the many years it would take to restore city centre shopping centres damaged or destroyed by the devastating 2011 earthquake, Christchurch created a mall made mostly out of shipping containers. You’d think such a construction would be ugly and unpleasant to use. That is not the case. The businesses have painted and customised their containers and the surrounding space to create a colourful, inviting and practical place. In the centre of the mall there’s sculptures, seating and plants. In the containers you can find big name fashion brands, indie boutiques, a convenience store, cafes, a post office and even multiple banks. I enjoyed coming here more than I do most normal malls.

Thanks to Atlas Obscura for steering me here! Although a mall is normally just a mall, this one is more. Although it was neat to see all the trendy shipping containers and food trucks, what I most appreciated was the fact that I didn’t feel as if the retail gods were sucking out my soul. Very cool, a must-​see!

Christ Church done good job of bringing back the downtown retail shops by using storage containers. These containers provide temporary building structures ehile new retail mall is being built following the 2011 earthquake.

One of the most interesting shopping malls I have ever had the pleasure of perusing. Since there isn’t much else to do or see in Christchurch anymore, this place should be a must on your city sights and activities list.
Built into repurposed shipping and storing containers, the businesses that make up this shopping center consist mostly of art, jewelry, fashion, and food. The stores have some interesting products and are staffed by mostly young, hip employees. The food options are also great and present plenty of seating. There are also a number of cash machines and banks for those who like to shop with cash.
I would highly recommend this shopping spot while in Christchurch. It offers a unique shopping experience in a very unique city.

Once again, the people of Christchurch have picked up the pieces and used their #8 DIY attitude with shipping containers and created a great colourful funky place to shop. This is not a major shopping mall, but certainly worth visiting. There are a few food outlets, but I enjoyed sitting on the upstairs of the centrally located coffee shop and enjoying the sun and coffee whilst everybody was buzzing around below.

One of my favorite places to spend an afternoon is at the Re: START mall. What a creative way to keep businesses alive in the wake of such devastation to Christchurch. The entire mall is designed out of shipping containers that are easily portable should their temporary locations be purchased for new buildings (though I hope the Re: START mall will never be built out of the CBD!). From athletic stores LuLu Lemon and Kathmandu and designer stores Storm and Ruby, to New Zealand Gift Shops to Scorpio Bookstore and home décor, the Re: START mall has something for everyone (including plenty of food trucks for all of the pickiest eaters). I, myself, prefer Base’s woodfired pizza or Liberty Dog’s Upper East Side while my husband loves Fritz’s Wieners. I’m looking forward to exploring the new dumpling and taco trucks. Whether you’ve lived here for years or are just passing through, make sure you make time to explore all of the nooks and crannies the Re: START mall has to offer (which also includes FREE WiFi and restrooms).