Kathmandu has signed a lease for a new flagship store on the corner of Colombo and Cashel streets, Christchurch.
The deal is with the property company behind The Crossing, Carter Group.
Kathmandu Chief Executive Xavier Simonet said the company had been investigating options for a new CBD store for some time.
It considered this site to be one of the best retail locations in Christchurch due to the prominent corner site and the high levels of pedestrians from The Crossing and surrounding stores.
“This is a very visible and accessible site in the CBD which will showcase Kathmandu’s distinct product offering in our hometown. Christchurch is a very special place for Kathmandu as we are headquartered here, our product design, engineering and testing are all based here, and it’s where we opened our first New Zealand store.
“It is incredibly exciting for us to be involved with Carter Group at this early stage, as it means we are able to have input into the design and build process with a view to achieving a certified five-star green star rating.”
Carter Group and Kathmandu have a longstanding relationship, with Carter Group being the landlord of Kathmandu’s pre-earthquake location on Cashel Street.
The Colombo and Cashel Street site had been vacant since the earthquakes which destroyed much of the Christchurch CBD in 2011, and it was purchased by Carter Group in 2016.
Demolition of the old Pagoda Court building which is on the site will start immediately, with Kathmandu’s new flagship store scheduled to open mid-2019.