A history of the Emporium

Press, 25 November 1982, Page 7

A history of the Emporium

THE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE OF CHRISTCHURCH

2. Shand’s Emporium

Shand’s Emporium in Hereford Street is the''subject of the second booklet (above) produced by the Christchurch City Council on the city’s architectural heritage. The booklet was released recently. The first in a series, about the old Normal School in Cranmer Square, ran to two editions. Shand’s Emporium was built in 1860, on land owned by a farmer, Mr John Shand. It housed professional offices until 1977, when it was converted to shops and given its present name. The building was threatened with demolition in the late 1970 s when the Post Office decided to build a

telephone exchange on the site. It was reprieved in 1981, after a petition signed by “several thousand people” calling for its preservation. But its future is still uncertain. The Historic Places Trust has classified it as being of historic interest. It is one of the oldest commercial buildings in the central city. The 11-page booklet outlines its history and construction, and is illustrated by photographs, sketches, and maps. The booklet costs $3. The City Planner, Mr W. T. Williams, said that when more issues had been produced in the series, the council would bind the booklets into a single volume for sale.

into a single volume