Auckland's Sprawling Billion-Dollar Retail and Hospitality Precinct Is Opening Next Week

The City Rail Link may still be some time away from completion, but the open date has now been announced for the surrounding retail and hospitality precinct. Four years in the making, Commercial Bay is a massive development that aims to completely reshape the area bounded by Britomart, Viaduct and CBD — or what you may recognise as the spot formerly occupied by Westfield Downtown.

Owner Precinct Properties confirmed the official opening of the anticipated billion-dollar development will take place on Thursday, 11 June. Come 9am, it will cut the ribbon on a sprawling laneway shopping experience and 120 food and beverage options across three floors of retail space.

Shoppers will be spoiled for choice with the selection of international and local fashion and retail stores, as well as first-to-market retailers. For a bite between purchases, Harbour Eats is a New York-style 700-seat food hall on the second floor. The space is set to host 27 food vendors, offering quick eats from breakfast through dinner. Further sit-down restaurants and takeaway stalls will be dotted throughout the space.

New York hospitality group AvroKO is opening four dining options in the development, including an equestrian-themed eatery focusing on "meat-centric eats", Mexican-influenced tequila and mezcal bar Ghost Donkey, ​off-license cocktail bar Liquorette, and rosé-centric Asian-inspired izakaya The Poni Room.

Locally owned establishments include a new restaurant by chef Ben Bayly (opening August); boujee hot dog eatery Good Dog Bad Dog and modern Korean restaurant GoChu from the owners of Simon & Lee; craft beer bar Public and waterfront tavern Reign & Pour from the Bedford Soda crew; plant-based burger joint Wise Boys; and The Lodge Bar from top chef Matt Lambert.

See the full list of retailers and hospitality operators below.

Ground floor: Aje, Asuwere, Best Ugly Bagels, Bluebells, Cali Press, Calvin Klein (opening soon), Citta, COS, Dior Cosmetics, Ecoya, Elle + Riley, Flo & Frankie, Furla, H&M, Hugo Boss, Husk, Honest Chocolat, Ingrid Starnes, Kate Spade, Kookai, L'Occitane, Lorna Jane, lululemon, Maje, MECCA, Meri, Nicole Rebstock, NRSH, Oji Sushi, Papinelle, Reign & Pour, Rodd & Gunn, Sandro, Scarpa, Scotch & Soda, Spark (opening soon), Storm, Superette, Tommy Hilfiger, twenty-seven names, Yu Mei, Veronika Maine, Wittner.

Level one: 3 Wise Men, Asics, Barkers, BNZ (opening soon), Bowl & Arrow, COS, Creative & Brave, Edmund Hillary, Federation, General Pants Co, Gentry Barbers, Herschel Supply Co, Hugo Boss, Icebreaker, Just Another Fisherman, Kokako, Lentes & Marcos, Lieutenant Coffee Bar & Eatery, Life Pharmacy, The Poni Room, Ripcurl, R.M Williams, Solect, Whitcoulls.

Level two: Aroy Thai, Art of Nails, a new restaurant by Ben Bayly (opening August), Ben & Jerry's, Billypot, Bird on a Wire, Blush, Burger Burger, City Dental Lounge, Daruma Ramen, Eat Indian, Fatimas, Hitea, Ghost Donkey, GoChu, Gogi, Good Dog Bad Dog, Gusstop Café, Harker Herbals, Hawker & Roll, H&M, I Love Ugly, Juke Joint, Kai Eatery, Liquorette, Loxy's Hair Boutique, Nam Nam, Needo, Oji Sushi, Paella Pod, Public, Sam Choy's Poke To The Max, Saxon and Parole (opening August), Shampoo 'n Things, Skin Institute, Skintopia, South American Oven, Sunnytown, Tank, Wise Boys, Zeta.

The Commercial Bay retail and hospitality precinct will open its doors at 9am on Thursday, 11 June, 2020. For more information, visit commercialbay.co.nz.

Top image: Ghost Donkey.