Appeals to Christchurch residents to start supporting the earthquake-stricken inner city again appear to be working.
A sense of normality returned to downtown Christchurch on Saturday - two weeks after it was shut down by the 7.1 magnitude earthquake on 4 September.
Business leader Peter Townsend says that while many of the shops in old brick buildings that crumbled remain closed, it's business as usual for retailers in more modern buildings.
"Central city is up and running again," Mr Townsend says, "but it's going to take a while for it to look like a new central city, because there's some significant rebuilding to be done.
"That shouldn't detract from people to get in there and spend and to encourage those businesses that are getting up and running after the earthquake."
A quarter of the 1600 central-city premises visited by building inspectors can't reopen until strengthening work or repairs are done. Many of those businesses have relocated.