At the helm is CEO Marshall Moir, who brings a corporate background to a business rooted in passion and place and one that still has many family members working in the business. “It’s not just a company—it’s a story,” Moir reflects. “A family, a community, a village. And it’s always evolving.” FROM EARTHQUAKE TO ENTERPRISE: A NEW BEGINNING The origin of Cassels is inseparable from Christchurch’s history and its broader story of devastation and recovery. When the 2011 earthquakes struck, they destroyed vast parts of the city, including much of the Woolston district, where the family owned a light industrial property,The Tannery, named after its origin as one of the city’s original industrial tanning sites dating back to 1881. “Within 100 days of the quake,” recalls Moir, “the family reopened what was left of the brewery as a bar, aptly named “The Brewery Bar’. There was literally nothing else open on that side of town—it became a center for the community.” That bar—and the small copper wood-fired brewery behind it—became the beating heart of a new chapter. Out of adversity emerged not just recovery, but transformation. The community gathered, the beer flowed, and the seeds of a local legacy were sown. BUILDING A VILLAGE: THE TANNERY PRECINCT What followed was a bold vision from Cassels founder Alasdair Cassels—to turn the earthquake-ravaged site into a boutique retail destination grounded in craftsmanship, not commerce. Over the next several years, the family redeveloped the site into what is now The Tannery, a thriving precinct of more than 70 boutique retail, hospitality and service tenants. “There are no big international chains here,” Moir emphasizes. “We’ve got jewellers working on-site, surfboard makers, artisanal craftspeople.The whole vision was built around authenticity.” The commitment to curation over commercialization continues today. When a new tenant applies, the first question isn’t about rent or revenue—it’s: Are they right for The Tannery? That dedication has made The Tannery a true destination—less a shopping center and more a village. With cinemas, boutique fitness studios, hospitality venues, and event spaces, it attracts both 105 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 07, ISSUE 08 CASSELS BREWING CO
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