Fashion retailers Decjuba, Blue Illusion and Flo & Frankie will open new stores at Christchurch’s Merivale Mall before the end of the year as part of the centre’s ongoing redevelopment.

The new Flo & Frankie store at the mall will be the retailer’s first store in Christchurch, and the first in the South Island. The five-year-old brand already has four stores in Auckland.

Dyrberg Kern and Tank Juice will also be opening outlets at the centre as well as Sportscraft Man, which will be its first store in the country. Sportscraft Man is expected to launch its new store at the mall in early 2019.

In addition to the new retailers mentioned, the Andrea Biani store at the mall has recently opened its renewed, refitted outlet, while Fresh Choice, the centre’s major tenant, is undertaking its own refurbishment that, once completed, will have a brand-new look and a gourmet deli-kitchen, with a new focus on fresh, local, artisan foods.

The shopping centre, which is operated by AMP Capital on behalf of owner Fisher Funds Management, is currently undergoing a $10 million redevelopment and is expected to be completed in early 2019. Merivale Mall has over 40 stores and more will be added after the upgrade.

The mall’s Papanui Road and west entrances are now complete, with high, double-height glass allowing natural light to flood in. The north entrance is still being upgraded.

“The refurbishment is progressing well, and it’s been exciting to see a huge amount of progress within the centre,” said Nicola Dolan, centre manager for Merivale Mall. “Customers are starting to see the changes that we have had in the pipeline come to life and it’s very pleasing to see their reactions.”