V-MART is a small retail shop on Waimairi Road in Ilam, Christchurch, with a 3.7 rating on Google. Neighbourhood shops like this are where people duck in for the things they need without a trek to the mall, and the good ones surprise you with how much fits on the shelves. Stock tends to shift with what sells, so if something's not out front it's worth asking — smaller retailers can often order items in for regulars. Opening hours can be looser than a chain store's, and a Facebook page is usually the most reliable guide to when the door is actually open. Tucked into the university suburb of Ilam, V-MART is a handy stop for locals after everyday bits without the drive into town.