Store devotees travel for 'fix'

Sales have doubled at the Timaru shop of department store operator Ballantynes since the February earthquake, its boss says, as Christchurch customers journey south to shop.

The company's central Christchurch store, which has traded in the city for well over a century and employs 380 staff, has been closed since this year's disaster.

While the building escaped major damage, it is now located within the CBD red zone, where access is not allowed.

"People are desperate for a Ballantynes fix is what we've been told," said managing director Mary Devine, adding that scheduled "girls' day out" bus trips from Christchurch to the Timaru store would begin next week.

Devine said Ballantynes was focused on reopening its central city site as part of the Re:Start 29.10.11 project, which aims to open a limited area of the red zone - bounded by Oxford Terrace, Hereford, Colombo and Lichfield Streets - by October 29.

Devine said the company had not let any staff go since the quake.

But the number of employees retained long-term, she said, would depend on the trading environment come October.

"We've got a tremendous, loyal customer base, which has been phenomenal. But it's just ensuring ease of access in and out of the city and ground floor parking - we've just got to understand some of those issues which I think will impact on our trading level going forward," Devine said.

She said Ballantynes had every intention of returning to the CBD permanently.

"The business has been there for over 150 years and it's been through challenges before that it's always worked through."

A 1947 fire in Ballantynes' central city store resulted in 41 fatalities, including a pregnant woman who jumped to her death from the burning building.

Devine said the company had been holding meetings with its entire Christchurch staff this week, updating employees on financial results to the end of February and the reopening plan.

Ballantynes would open a cafe in the Riccarton Mall next week that previously operated inside its CBD department store, she said.

The company also operates two stores at Christchurch Airport.