After the devastating 2011 Earthquake which rocked Christchurch and damaged many inner-city buildings, including the famed Cashel Mall, this pedestrian mall made of shipping containers became a symbol of the city's resilience and the people's willingness to rebuild and move on with life.
This shipping container mall was the brainchild of the Christchurch Property and Building Owners group, who had known that the wait for new buildings would be long and wanted to encourage people back into the CBD as soon as possible.
Re:START has grown steadily over the years since the earthquake, starting out with just 27 businesses at the opening in October 2011 and growing to well over 50 businesses today. In addition there are market stalls, street performers and buskers.
Initially it was meant to be a temporary shopping centre but since opening, Re:START has been the cornerstone for the tourist industry in Christchurch and helped rocket Christchurch to number six in the Lonely Planet guide to the ‘must visit’ places in the world.
