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Christchurch: an open for business directory [UPDATED]

We’ve been regularly updating the page of fund/spirit raising initiatives aimed at helping Christchurch residents, but we’ve been in contact with a few Christchurch business owners who want readers—and customers—to know they’re operational again. Of course, cashflow is crucial at this stage to keep the local economy going, so one week on and, while the cordon is still in place, some businesses in the wider marcomms industry are starting to kick back into gear and are eager for work. So if you’re open already, if you’re muddling through in temporary offices, if you know of any businesses that have opened, or you want to let readers know your plans for opening in the future, email [email protected] and we’ll update this page accordingly.

  • Tania Biddles, Q Brand: “Our office was located right in the centre of the city, and although the building is still standing, our offices are uninhabitable at the moment. All our staff got out safely though, and we are just trying to set all our staff up from home and hope to start operating again mid week.”
  • Scott Shore, Adgraphix: “Power and water is back on we are ready to go … The more printing and signage work we can secure down here, the better it is for our customers, our suppliers, us and ultimately our city.” See his take on events—and the role business can play in the recovery—here.
  • Neil Cameron, Harvey Cameron: “We opened yesterday [28 February] with almost full staff and water was on when I arrived so we have all services. Very very lucky.  The building has suffered no damage other than some cracks in some gib. We have a lot of national clients and for them it is business as usual and very important that we maintain our services and the crew here are doing an amazing job in the circumstances. Nearly 40 ad and digital teams working hard Some are working remotely from home and other offices. We have 50 accounts staff spread all over the city. Some of the after shocks are very interesting! As regards other operations, most are inside the cordon and cannot access their offices.”
  • Strategy’s offices on the corner of Montreal and Salisbury Streets are out of commission and neither Geoff Cranko or Guy Pask have been able to get back in. They are currently looking for new studio space and work is being handled by the offices in Auckland and Sydney. If anyone has any questions, enquiries should be directed to Auckland-based managing director Martin O’Sullivan on 09 360 1944 or 021 773 134.
  • Photonewzealand: “Firstly, thank you for the kind words of support we have received in the last week. There have been hundreds of messages expressing kind thoughts and offers of assistance and they have made a huge difference to our team, each of whom are currently dealing with their own personal circumstances. Our thoughts remain with those families who have lost loved ones. Our team remain safe and with their families. They are sorting out the damage to their homes and looking after their children, families, friends and neighbours. Although our office is still closed, our systems are all up and running which means Sarah (based in Taupo) can take your calls/emails and process any of your requests. She will endeavour to get you what you need as quickly as possible. We thank you in advance for your patience as she remains a ‘one man band’. If you have sent an email recently or tried to call and experienced difficulties, it may be due to our email and phone servers being temporarily down. Please resend emails or call again. AND PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP THE ORDERS COMING – YOU WILL NOT BE BOTHERING US IF YOU NEED HELP FINDING IMAGES. For any requests or questions please email Sarah on Julia’s email [email protected] or directly to Sarah on [email protected] or call her on 0800 746 866.”
  • Trenzeater: “The Team at TRENZSEATER would like to firstly extend our sincere thoughts and sympathy to all those fellow Cantabrians who have been affected by the Christchurch Earthquake on Feb 22nd, and to those who have lost work colleagues, close friends and loved ones. We apologise for any inconvenience we may have caused being closed, we have little damage to the store but are awaiting some ceiling tiles to arrive before we are open for business as usual. In the meantime you can contact both Hamish and Ben on the following email addresses below, we are here to answer your every query and to assist you however we can. Please also visit our website www.trenzseater.com where you can view our entire collection of product which we also have in our showroom once we open mid this week.
  • Shaun Barry, Roadside Attractions: “We used to love the fact that we could all walk/ride to work from our homes in Sumner and Redcliffs to our lovely Sumner office. Those days will hopefully come again but not a for a little while. Up on Clifton Hill behind Sumner, Bill’s house sounds like it is slowly falling apart around him with every aftershock. Without power and water, like the captain of the Titanic going down with his doomed boat, he won’t leave. His lifeboat is a Maui campervan he and his partner are sleeping in on the lawn and hoping their insurance company will stump up for it at $300/day. He’s a huge Celine Dion fan and I daresay he’ll have her Titanic song “My Heart Will Go On” amped up out across the empty neighbourhood just for a laugh. We are definitely back in business, although our phone line is gone. If you can call on 021 222 9852. Otherwise email [email protected] or [email protected]. On behalf of Bill, myself and Jill, my warmest thanks for the many kind words we have received.
  • John Boyle, Rainbow Print: “All our staff are safe and well.  We are back operating and the printing presses are running through the night to help many local and national business getting information to many who are without power. We are here to help if anyone needs anything printed.”
  • Niven Boyle, The Media Dept: “Greetings from the remains of The Media Dept. Appreciate you advising that Stacey and I are safe and well and trucking on. Our building at Ground Zero was actually a damn good place to be. Whilst it may be very old, the complete refurbishment two years ago has meant it is as strong a place as any and stood up well enough for me to (stupidly?) race back in and get mobiles and the laptop! But the devastation in our area at High/Lichfield/Manchester is massive and unfortunately a lot of people will have perished around us. We have had a number of wonderfully kind offers of assistance from up north and sincerely appreciate these. We’re holding up well but much of the worst news is clearly yet to come.”
  • Jamey Holloway, Phantom Billstickers:: “We’ve come through with no one hurt and immediate families all safe, so we’ve been really blessed. Head office is in Sydenham, Christchurch as you know and 12 of our 45 staff nationwide are based there. We’ve been given a green sticker and cleaned up and structurally strengthened our HQ but there isn’t water or internet there yet. There are a lot of the Christchurch sites we’ll obviously not be able to access for a while and, of course, most events are cancelled. So in the mean time we have Christchurch install staff in gumboots and shovels helping other businesses get their sites cleaned up. Five sales and admin staff including myself are working from a couple of temporary offices we have set up (one is my dining room table so we’re hoping the cracked chimney doesn’t come down!).
    We are very much still in operation around the country, we still have the ability to print and place your posters anywhere nationwide within two shakes of a lambs tail. Work is normality and that’s been in short supply around here so we remain very grateful for your work and always glad to hear from you all.” Account managers can be contacted via email [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected].
  • Jon Drumm and Simon Apperley, Big Picture, Smartmove and Social Ted Media: “We have reopened and are working from temporary offices in Merivale with thanks to the team at Harvey Cameron and E2 Digital. Some of our staff are working from home choosing to remain close to family. All emails, phone numbers etc remain the same (office: 03-365-2292, mobile 021-223-2781). Thank you for all the kind emails of support.”
  • Rachel Alexander, Alexanders Internet Marketing: “I was in the Arts Centre having lunch at Annies, when the plates and glasses started crashing to the floor. When I ventured out from under the table, there was a large white cloud outside where a large part of the Arts Centre had collapsed in a pile of rubble ceiling high. If there was anyone there, they wouldn’t have stood a chance. Luckily our office, in Fendalton on the Northwest side of town, fared a little better. One of two surviving chimneys fell through the room and created a leak. A local roofing firm came to the rescue (it was raining!). Other than a mess of archive CDs everywhere and broken crockery, we were let off lightly and able to operate fully again by Friday.  However, it’s hard to pretend to be normal when you know outside things are far from normal.  Two friends under the rubble. Two firms we’d done logos for also under the rubble. Two staff with houses written off.  Two friends leaving town to live in Tauranga. I just keep thinking of our forebears.  These long skirted women and well-attired gentlemen endured three month old salted meat on their long journey here, and arrived to a land of bush, sleeping on “beds of ferns” and living in mud huts. One of my partner’s female relatives “fainted in fear” when a fully tattooed (naked) Maori man ranted and raved on her roof. They had a lot of courage, vision and creativity to build our city with its lovely heritage. We have much more already than a land of bush. We also have courage, vision and creativity and we can create a new architectural heritage again—this time not out of bricks and stone. None of us would have chosen to live here had we known it was going to have a voracious faultline. But if we didn’t know it before, we do now: life is about family and friends. Many CBD businesses are already relocating, operating out of the owners’ homes. Our homes, formerly precious sanctuaries, seem like mere brooches on life. The spirit down here is amazing. People are laughing as well as crying. Christchurch will resurrect itself again. Please support us as we grieve for our friends, family and heritage, and face up to the enormous reality that confronts us.”
  • Elliot Duston, Luxon Advertising: “Those of you who know us, will understand our offices have been in the CBD most of our 30 year history, and more recently in Cashel Mall, which is now almost completely devastated, and the scene of a number of tragic deaths. We ran out into the street on Tuesday to help people trapped by falling masonry and did whatever we could—in true Kiwi fashion. Now, with the amazing help of clients, friends and family, we are in 90 percent working order and ready to start to get back some sense of routine; to progress work for the clients unaffected by the earthquake and continue to do what we can for those still reeling from the aftermath, privately and in their businesses.
    A special thank you to all the agency and media contacts who have contacted us to check on our well-being.”
  • Craig Joynt, Exhibit Group: “Our building in Stevens St awaits the verdict from the inspectors, a massive cleaning up and repair job and we might be okay. We are sending all the showroom displays to Auckland for a service and refurbishment to repair the damage. We will have them ready to go as soon as we get the OK to return. Sue and her family are all okay and she is available to clients. If you are making your event marketing decisions from other centres, we have teams from Auckland and Wellington to help. Our thoughts are with those who have been less fortunate.”
  • Karen Brown, hairyLemon: “hairyLemon web solutions is up and running at 75 percent capacity from the homes of staff around the city, but has secured new premises in Hornby which we are moving into from Wednesday 2 March. Our staff are all safe, having escaped from the 4th floor of our building in the CBD. Unfortunately the building has been red-stickered, so we won’t be returning. We have managed to retrieve all client data off our servers though, and all of our client websites hosted via Digiweb are operational. We are keen to get stuck in to project work and get the company up and running again for our staff and our clients. hairyLemon’s tech subsidiary The IT Team is also fully operational, offering tech services to businesses around the city needing to set up with computer systems, email, phones etc. Connon from the IT Team can be contacted via [email protected].”
  • Kaye Johnston, Beck and Caul: “Beck and Caul are pleased to advise that all staff and family are safe. Our hearts go out to all those that have lost loved ones. We are very fortunate to be operating as normal from our slightly further damaged building at 115 Sherborne St and will be moving to new premises at 12 Moorhouse Ave, opposite Hagley Park, on 4 April. Beck and Caul are still offering a range of communication services including design, media, marketing, website, e-newsletters, advertising and promotion, and we are happy to assist any business to get up and running in these trying times.”
  • Canon New Zealand has set up a dedicated help line for customers either based in/or who have staff in the affected area.For assistance please phone 0800 222 666 and choose option 3, then option 3. There will be a staff member available to discuss your particular situation and what assistance is required. The help line is open from 8:30 am – 7:00 pm Monday to Friday. For assistance outside of these times please call 029 770 5170.
  • Courier Post: “We appreciate the amazing effort the Christchurch team are placing into operating the network during these very difficult times. We also are thankful for the understanding of our customers who are sending items to and from that area and we will continue to keep you updated on how our people and the network they operate are doing.  With some fantastic effort from both our Christchurch team as well as assistance from around our network, we have reinstated our services in the Christchurch area. In the main, our services and delivery standards to all other parts of New Zealand remain as per normal. You will appreciate that within Christchurch we are still constrained by areas we cannot access as well not having a full complement of staff while many still struggle with the losses they have suffered. As a result we would like to advise the following: Our short term delivery standard to Christchurch is next working day. Before sending any item please ensure you know the recipient is in an area that is unaffected [check here for a list of affected streets and here for a Google Map]. If your item is urgent and you want to send it via CourierPost, please mark this as ‘Urgent – Christchurch’. This service is for business addresses only so first make sure that the business is open and we will prioritise this freight within the constraints of the network. Delivery outside of exclusion zones and our next working day delivery standard still apply. For any medical or time sensitive delivery requirements we would advise you to use Pace on 0800 501 502. In order to allow our Christchurch staff who have returned to work a little more time to deal with the situation they find themselves in, we are cancelling Saturday deliveries within Christchurch on Saturday 5th and 12th March. If you want to redirect items or return to sender then please contact our call centre on 0800 268 743 to arrange. Any items being returned to sender will be done at no cost to you. However, please be aware that due to the large volume of freight this process may take up to seven days to complete.”
  • John Parlane, DPS Print: “We are very fortunate at DPS PRINT that all staff and their families are safe and well and we wish to pass on our sincere blessings to those people suffering. DPS PRINT is also fortunate not to have sustained any damage whatsoever and all our offset A2 & A3 printing presses are running. Our digital machine is also running.
    We are here to assist if required. Call  03 348 8638 or email [email protected].”
  • David Ricquish, Radio Heritage Foundation: “If any of your readers/advertisers etc can support these local
    community FM stations in Christchurch
    it will help immensely at a local suburb/neighbourhood welfare and information level. We’ll update the information as we can. Phone 021 631 337.”
  • Diederik van Heyningen, Lightworkx: “I am pleased to report that all staff and immediate family and friends are safe and well. Massive thanks to everyone who has sent well wishing messages and offers of support. Overwhelming and very emotional at times! To all our local clients: We are here to help with anything, from photography to clearing bricks and liquifaction to post production, please let us know if and how you need help.  To all our national and international clients: Words cannot express how much your messages of support mean to all of us right now, thank you!
    We are open for business! I ‘think’ I am pleased to report that the studio, although a big mess, has been ‘L1 Green stickered’ as has the entire complex here in the CBD where our studio is based. This means when the CBD Cordon recedes over the next few days, we will be open for business as usual. I say ‘I think’ because it is all very well having a studio to shoot from, but I am not so sure we still have any clients left to shoot for! The other ugly reality of this situation is that all business has been hit very very hard and coming months are going to tell how well Canterbury is going to fare economically. On the up side, as chairman of our body corporate, I can report that there may well be some space available for lease in our complex. Give me a call if you are in need. We are 100 percent committed to working alongside local businesses and organisations to help affected Canterbury businesses get back on their feet.
    By making available our world class production, photography and post production facilities to local business we hope to have far reaching positive results for Canterbury. We are pleased to announce that select businesses in real need will receive our ‘full noise’ services for free where possible. We have also decided that as soon as the CBD cordon has receded (Monday/Tuesday by the sounds of it) we will also open up our studio and equipment, at no or little charge, to other established professional photographers not able to operate from their own studios to allow them to resume their business as best possible. In order for us to be able to provide these services to our community, we need the support of the greater advertising industry of New Zealand down here. If we can’t keep our studio and three full time staff working then we can’t help anyone else either. This unfortunately is the same reality as EVERY business down here will face for the next 12 to 24 months I suspect. Onwards and upwards, it brings tears to my eyes every time I see so many positive and pro-active people helping each other in such incredible and unselfish ways as I have seen over the last week. This is what ‘Team’ is all about! I’ve never been prouder to be a Cantabrian.” Phone: +64 3 377 50 80. Mobile: +64 29 377 50 80.
  • Ben Savill, Alpine Media: “Alpine Media is up and running after the earthquake, working remotely until the building has been deemed safe. All staff safe and well. None of the South Island Ski Areas on the Alpine Media network (Mt Hutt, Treble Cone, Cardrona, Remarkables, Snow Park and Coronet Peak) have reported any damage. Please support the earthquake appeal.”
  • Rebecca Harris, Academy Publishing: “We are still all okay and moving forward with setting up production/administration hubs around Christchurch. The need is still for goodies (as mentioned below) to restock the cupboards. The generosity is greatly appreciated. One of our printers, who I asked if they had a spare fax lying around the building turned up this morning with NEW faxes, NEW Printers and stacks of paper. The generosity of all our industry friends is amazing. It is not only the Cantabrian spirit that is keep us positively moving forward, but the support from all of you too, around the world! Thank-you all for your kind concerns, I’ll send out a new print schedule shortly when we (literally) sort our s@# out. If any of you were previously dealing with Fleur (production manager) directly, she is no longer with Tearaway, so make me your point of contact ([email protected]). The editor Rain is still available as usual. Cheers and thanks again for all your cyber hugs, kisses and happy thoughts.”
  • Anne Barnett, Bounty Services: “The Bounty Services Team are passionate about getting educational information and samples to expectant and new parents, and had to be prevented from working until the warehouse had been checked! They are now flying, with additional staff to clear the backlog of orders going to health professionals. I can assure all our supportive advertising clients that our ABC audited figures will be even higher than last year. Ph 033386440.”
  • Greg Coffey, Printstop: “Printstop has two branches in the CBD. I am pleased to advise all staff are safe and well and that we are in the process of relocating to a great site at number 70 Riccarton Rd (currently Blockbuster video). Being part of a national network means we have been able to carry on in a temporary site for now until we move to the new premises next week. We hope to be up and running fully mid next week. All of our people are contactable by email or cellphone.”
  • Marian Johnson, UMC: “Thanks everyone for all of your kind offers of help and support. This is an amazing town and an amazing country. All of UMC Advertising’s humans got out alive with our heritage building going the extra mile and saving us despite bits and pieces falling off and breaking while we tumbled outside.  We re-opened our doors on Monday, 28 February at a staffer’s house in Opawa and have been cranking out gorgeous work for our clients ever since. Number 8 and all that. Like all of us whose offices are in the cordon area, we are without most of our equipment but, have Mac will travel and our iPhones have been a lifeline.  We’ve got a new pad out by the airport and should be fully operational by mid next week.  Any enquiries to Marian Johnson at 021 114 9757.  Thanks!”
  • Glenn Seymour, Datapro: “Firstly, our thanks go to all our clients and partners for the messages of support and concern we have received since the earthquake on 22 February. You will be pleased to know our team and their families are all safe, although some are without access to utilities and services and may be for some time. Unfortunately there are many families and businesses less fortunate than ourselves.  Our thoughts remain with those who have lost loved ones and possessions – we know that some of you are amongst those people.  Please let us know if there is anything we can do to assist you in any way. Our office building is in Ferrymead, a suburb well away from the CBD. It is a new building and structurally stood up very well to the shake, although did need a bit of clearing up. We are now back up and running and look forward to getting back to something like ‘normality’. We’ve obviously had some disruption and delays to our service delivery and are working to get back on track as soon as possible.  We have spoken to most of you to touch base where there are jobs that have been directly affected to agree timelines, but if we haven’t spoken with you and there is something you would like us to be focusing on then please give us a call.  The changes to our structure which we communicated with you last month have also proceeded as planned.  This allows us to continue focusing on our Customer Insight services, providing customer and employee satisfaction services and assisting clients with a range of marketing data analysis and communications programmes. We thank you for your continued support and understanding and look forward to continuing working with you. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries or concerns.” Office: 03 376 4525, Glenn 027 245 9445 [email protected] or Helen 027 245 0091 [email protected].
  • Todd Haglund, Dynamite Signage Solutions: “We are a signwriting company that can do all forms of signage from corlfute signs, vehicle graphics, building signage to large format printing. We are up and running, fully functional.”
  • Chris Sparks, Independent Media: “Hi folks, it’s business, but not quite as usual. Sitting here, looking out from my new Cashmere office (home, that is!) with a lovely view across to the Alps seems ever so pleasant. But the joy of our lives is seriously tempered by my wife and I knowing at least three people who have died, people who were living their normal every-day lives. But no more. The office is totally cordoned off, as it will be for some time, but all systems are up and running. Clients and the media have been hugely supportive, it’s all been quite humbling. And HEY – we got the water back on. No more portaloo, daily visits to my brother-in-law for showers and filling up the 20 litre water container each morning. We appreciate all the efforts, in so many areas, by so many people. Hug someone close to you, every day.” P : + 64 3 379.5580 M : +64 21 361.886.
  • Graham Carter, CEMARS and carboNZero certification programme: “Our heartfelt thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by the February 22nd Canterbury earthquake. We extend our sympathy to all our clients, colleagues, friends and families who have suffered personal and property losses due to this traumatic event. We are grateful to report that the carboNZero SBU team and their families are safe and well. The team thanks you for all the good wishes and kind words received. It is in times like these that we appreciate the important things in life and the relationships that we have, in working together. Our Lincoln office is now operating and we are endeavouring to return to normal services over the coming days. Some of our staff have been evacuated from their homes, others are affected by school closures and some are volunteering to help where their local communities need help. Our first priority is ensuring that we assist family, colleagues and local communities where needed. We will be keeping you informed over the next few weeks about progress and our return to normal services, please check our website for updates.”
  • Heinrich Louw, PMP: “It is business as usual at our printing plants. PMP Maxum in Treffers road and PMP Print in Birmingham Drive are both up and running. Contact David Farrant, Mob: + 64 (0)29 983 2213, Email: [email protected].”
  • Deb Fahey, Novo: “Our CBD premises were wrecked, but we managed to up, dust ourselves down and swiftly relocate to the outskirts of the city to get on with it all within a couple of days. Everyone is safe and well and thanks to some superhuman efforts – followed by measures of wine for purely medicinal purposes – and we managed to retrieve the essentials. Including our sense of humour. Grateful thanks go to our clients for fantastic support and kindness.”
  • Bernadette Cunneen, G&A Nelson branding and design: “The team are safe and well, and open for business. Alas, our historic building the Armson Woolstore is not in such good shape and we are now operating from new premises at 140 Cavendish Road,  Casebrook. A little further out of town but a lot less shaky! All essential operating requirements are in good order – apart from the coffee machine. ‘Roller Bear’ is yet to be rescued but it’s going to make a great pic when he is crane lifted from the building! Our phone and email contact details remain unchanged so we would love to hear from you. Phone Bernie on 03 366 3678 or 021 981 678 or email [email protected]. Take care our there.”
  • Simon Adams, Jansen Professional Audio and Lighting: “All our staff got out safe but the business is pulling out the fine print as our business interruption insurance didn’t cover earthquake, so 15 years of premiums for nothing. Our building is not damaged. Never even lost a pane of glass. Anyone need to buy a new retail building in the CBD? With lots of parking?”
  • Paul Fairbairn, Imagic: “I’m pleased to let you know that all Imagic’s staff and their families are okay. Our central-city building on Cambridge Terrace took a pounding but kept us safe, for which we are incredibly thankful. Imagic is now up and running at Jade Software’s Christchurch Development Centre on Sheffield Crescent. We have retrieved all our machines and archived files, and are back to full strength. A big, heartfelt thank you to Jade for providing us with our temporary home.”

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