Lismore’s CBD continues to reopen, with Lismore Embroidery and Apparel this week moving back to their original location at 101 Keen Street, after working from another shop since the flood last year.

Lismore App readers may have seen some action at Instyle Sleepcentre and Brightway Lighting on Woodlark Street as painters have added their finishing touches. Instyle's Dave Martin says there is no ETA on the reopening date but the goal is by the end of May.

Burrito Bar on Carrington Street is another CBD business that is days away from reopening.

Lismore Embroidery and Apparel owner Matt Cutting said it was exciting to be back in their traditional position in the Lismore CBD.

“Lismore has been a wonderful support to us,” he said.

“During the flood, we lost a lot of our machinery, majority of the embroidery machines, so we've had to rebuild from there.”

“It’s been a huge process since day one, even just getting set up in our temporary location, now to move back to there in Keen Street.”

“We have worked well with the building owners, who have just done a fantastic job, redecorating the place and they listened to what we needed, so it’s exciting to be back.”

They reopened the store in a temporary location, at the former Affordable Bulk Wholefoods premises in Magellan Street, where they have been operating since August.

“At the moment, the space we're in is not big enough, and we're almost back to the capacity we were at before the flood, so we'll be back to that soon - we have more machines arriving soon, so we need the new space.”

Building back better, and being more flood aware is something every business is doing as they reopen, and the Lismore Embroidery team are no different.

“We've actually purchased a retired school bus - it's a massive big school bus - which we can now throw everything into and then drive to dry lands.”

“We can never lose machinery like that again, so this will allow us to load everything in and get it all out.”

“Hundreds of thousands [of dollars] was lost, with the stock and machinery, replacing all of the printing department, threads – it was just a huge loss – multiple computers, desks, chairs, same as everyone else in town.”

The team at Lismore Embroidery has been busy getting everything set up and ready to go, and they are thrilled to be able to welcome customers back into their newly refurbished shop.

They have been overwhelmed with the community support, from the initial disaster to now as they reopen.

“Everyone has just been wonderful, we had orders coming in from everywhere straight away.”

“We were amazed by the Facebook response, we just did a post yesterday, about being back at 101 Keen Street, and it’s just been a massive response.”

“People love a feel-good story - now we're back and it always feels good to be back on the block!”