The shopping conundrum: Some Christchurch malls thrive as others struggle

Saturday, 18 July 2026

At one Christchurch mall shoppers fill the cafes and stores, while two kilometres away a once-thriving mall now has empty corridors and a food court with as many gaps as eateries.

The Press visited 10 shopping centres this week to take their pulse, recording the number of retail and hospitality spaces which were obviously vacant in each one.

In Spreydon, a bustling Barrington Mall has more than 50 stores and not one visible vacancy.

Its anchor tenants – a FreshChoice supermarket and The Warehouse – are key draw-cards, while food outlets such as Muffin Break, Maki Mono Sushi and Majestic Tea Bar are doing a steady trade.

Muffin Break owner Amrit Brar, who opened the franchise with her husband Lovepreet Bhullar in November, described business as “so good” and said the supermarket and The Warehouse brought a lot of foot traffic.

Shopper Kelsey Chamberlain, who lives only a minute’s drive from the mall, said she visits almost every day.

“It’s got everything. I come here for the supermarket, The Warehouse, the butcher and the pharmacy.”

It was a different story at The Colombo, just two kilometres away.

About half the food court spaces were vacant, as were two retail spaces, and its walkways were often empty of shoppers.

The mall – once named after the large homeware and crafts store Spotlight – has had mixed fortunes since the Australian retailer moved to purpose-built premises on Moorhouse Ave.

Its food court still has seven outlets, including Gre3n Juice Bar, Mr Sushi and Waffle Haus.

Homeware and lifestyle shop Nordic Chill has stopped selling Ikea products following the opening of the Swedish company’s Auckland store.

The Colombo changed hands this year, when Skorpio Investments Ltd bought it from Christchurch property investor Lilly Cooper.

Centres with strong anchor tenants appear to have lower vacancy levels.

The vast Westfield Riccarton, the biggest mall in the South Island, is reporting strong trade and a spokesperson said it was continuing to attract new retailers.

Just seven retail spaces appeared closed during a visit on Friday, including the former EB Games store on the second floor. The video game retailer closed all its New Zealand stores by the end of January.

One of the vacant shopfronts is temporary. Printing company Logoland is moving to a new premises within the mall after closing its previous store last month, and is due to reopen imminently.

Westfield has major anchor tenants including KMart and Pak ‘n Save. It recently welcomed new outlets W Cosmetics, Harli & Harpa and Juice Up, with Oscar Wylee and YO-KOÏ scheduled to open in the coming months.

The mall recorded 10.6 million customer visits in 2025, with total annual retail sales of $622.7 million.

Northlands Shopping Centre had 12 visible vacant or closed retail spaces when The Press visited – about 10% of its premises – including the former Pak’nSave site, which relocated in March 2024 after 30 years at the mall.

Northlands is one of the largest enclosed shopping centres in Christchurch, with more than 120 stores.

A spokesperson said the centre regularly reviewed opportunities to improve its retail mix and customer experience, including options for available tenancy spaces.

“While we’re unable to comment on specific leasing discussions or potential tenants, our priority is to maintain a strong and relevant mix of retailers, services and experiences that support our community’s needs and reinforce Northlands’ position as a leading shopping and social destination in Christchurch.”

The much smaller Bush Inn Centre also had 16 vacant or closed spaces identified during a visit by The Press, despite strong school holiday crowds at Ninja Valley, an indoor adventure playground that has become a major drawcard.

Violet Shutt and Damien Croy, visiting from Wānaka, waited about 30 minutes to enter Ninja Valley and said they were surprised by the number of empty shops inside the mall.

“A lot of the shops are just closed. We don’t know what’s going on.”

Tayla Taylor, who was supervising a school holiday group at Ninja Valley, said the attraction was bringing people into the centre but the rest of the mall was quiet.

“I wouldn’t come here for anything other than Ninja Valley. There’s nothing else here.”

Four food outlets were operating during The Press’ visit, while three businesses remained open in the indoor food market The Provedore.

However, Bush Inn management said the centre was undergoing a turnaround, with new tenants planned.

Ganson Group property manager Andy Bell said international fried chicken franchise Chicking, a new games arcade, Reduced to Clear, Simplicity Fitness and family bar and restaurant The Fox were among businesses joining the centre.

Bell said the former BNZ site at the centre had been fully leased, with an announcement on the new tenant expected soon. He also said the former Lincraft space had been secured by another operator following Lincraft’s decision to close its New Zealand and Australian stores.

“We have put significant effort into attracting new tenants, with such efforts now very much paying off,” Bell said.

The Palms Shopping Centre in Shirley had 12 vacant retail spaces, while Eastgate Shopping Centre had about 10.

The Palms has seen several tenant changes in recent years, including the departure of Jay Jays, Choco Berries and Pita Pit. Surfwear retailer Amazon Surf closed in May, while Stirling Sports closed its Palms store last year after the company operating the Christchurch franchise went into liquidation. Gaming arcade Oasis also closed in 2024, similarly going into liquidation.

A mall spokesperson said tenant movement was a normal part of a shopping centre’s evolution, driven by lease expiries, renewals and new businesses moving in.

“There’s a strong sense of confidence in The Palms and its role in the local community. Management is focused on its long-term success, continuing to ensure the centre remains a convenient and relevant destination for shoppers,” the spokesperson said.

The Hub Hornby had four vacant spaces, while Merivale Mall had one and South City Mall had three.

At Avonhead Shopping Centre, a $25 million redevelopment will expand Woolworths into a larger anchor tenant, while some long-standing speciality retailers have raised concerns about whether they will return after the rebuild.

Canterbury outperformed in the past three years

Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan said New Zealand’s retail sector had faced a difficult few years, with high interest rates, rising unemployment, cost-of-living pressures and weaker consumer confidence weighing on spending.

However, Canterbury had performed better than many other parts of the country, helped by population growth, a more stable housing market and strong export prices supporting regional spending.

Stats NZ does not publish retail figures at this exact regional level, but other indicators show Canterbury’s retail activity has consistently performed better than the national average over the past three years.

Kiernan said shopping centres with strong anchor tenants, a better mix of stores and an attractive customer experience were more likely to perform well.

“People will always need a supermarket, and when consumers are cost-conscious, lower-priced retailers such as Kmart or The Warehouse are likely to be a drawcard.

“Without an appropriate anchor tenant to attract people when spending is tight, other retailers in shopping centres will not benefit from the spillover generated when people add other purchases to their main shopping trip.”