Shand's Emporium and Memory Lane

I'm pretty sure that this is up there with one of the most photographed post-quake buildings in Christchurch, give its age and location.

There's been much talk about the building on Hereford St being moved to a new location (I'm guessing one that fits in with the almost draconian 'grand vision' for Christchurch). Whether that transpires or not is anyone's guess.

It's amazing to think that this grand old dame of a building, now standing abandoned amongst the new car parks (aka vacant spots where buildings once stood that now gather revenue for Wilson's) used to be sandwiched between the Royal Insurance Building and the New Zealand Trust and Loan Building. There's seems a certain irony that Shand's Emporium remains whilst the other two - built as a show of financial stability and risk management - succumbed to greater forces....

Built in 1860 by John Shand, it is one of the oldest commercial buildings in the CBD (it may now be the oldest following the earthquakes, but I've yet to verify) and was converted to shops in 1977.

I'm glad it is still standing as it takes me back to having coffee at Vivace, browsing books and mags at Scorpio and then looking for vintage clothes and trinkets at Shand's. What different times they were...

If you're after more information on the history of this building, check out this info sheet at the City Library website