Re:START Mall

In 2010 and 2011, when devastating earthquakes left Christchurch in ruins, the people of Christchurch were left with two choices: Completely give up and move somewhere else, or dig in deep and start over. The Re:Start Mall was born from the latter, where in an effort to simply instill some normalcy of retail and commerce downtown, the city ended up with an iconic structure that infused the area with hope. Constructed from temporary shipping containers, the Re:Start Mall (which is also known as Cashel Street Mall), now has over 40 shops in a trendy, colorful setting, where urban design and eco design were born out of absolute necessity. Grab a coffee at one of the cafés and peruse the fashionable shopping, or simply sit and people watch from a bench in the open air square. For a fascinating multimedia attraction, tour the Quake City exhibit in the mall, where you’ll hear stories of the Christchurch earthquakes and in many ways feel you were there.

Practical Info

The Quake City exhibit costs $20 per adult, and is open from 10am-5pm daily. While there is talk of replacing the Re:Start Mall with a more permanent downtown fixture, many are hoping the malls stays the same since it’s grown to be such an attraction.