American singer Don McLean famously wrote about the day the music died in his classic song American Pie, well February 27, 2022, was the day Skimmo's died as the massive February 28 flood tore the old building apart doing major structural damage.

That made Saturday, February 27, 2022, the day Skimmo's served its last customer after (an approximate) 70 years as a corner store.

Leasee Kevin Handcock said, "It's progress, it's progress."

Kevin went in on the Sunday of the flood to put stock onto tables to prepare for the coming flood but to no avail, like all businesses on February 28. His two fully stocked coke fridges were washed out of the window such was the power of the current.

"It would have been nice to sell my items and leftover stock rather than throwing them on the footpath," Kevin added.

It was only a matter of time before Skimmo's closed, as the land was purchased by Spectrum Retail Group in January this year with the idea of putting Lismore's first 7-Eleven on Skimmo's and the two blocks of land surrounding it (135, 137 and 139 Union Street).

After the Development Application (DA) was voted against last October, the Spectrum Retail Group took the development to the Land and Environment Court after our last story on February 3.

Lismore City Council made the following statement today:

"Development consent was granted by the Land & Environment Court on April 5, 2022 to Development Application No. DA21/57, for the demolition of existing structures, removal of six (6) trees and construction of a service station and neighbourhood shop with associated site works on the land described as Lots 1 and 2 DP 300777 and Lot 4 Section 2 DP 4372 known as 135 – 139 Union St South Lismore, subject to the 78 conditions."

Whichever way you looked at it, Skimmo's was going to come to an end. The floods just brought that day forward.

The 78 conditions imposed by Lismore City Council (LCC) include flood mitigation measures like a flood gate at the front door to the shop to stop water from entering the building (for smaller floods), there will be a refuge on the roof with a platform and railings accessible by a ladder on the outside of the building.

Project Manager Julian Ackad from the Spectrum Group, the company behind building the 7-Eleven, told the Lismore App, "It is certainly hard to plan for and we have taken on the measures to make the site as safe as possible."

One of the safety concerns raised by LCC Councillors last October was the possibility of fuel leakage into the nearby Hollingworth Creek.

"All of our fuel tanks are double-wall fibreglass which is non-corrosive unlike the old steel tanks and anchored to a concrete slab," Julian said, "The inner walls hold the fuel then there are several inches to the outer wall. If the outer wall cracks there is an alarm system warning. We have ways to shut down the tanks and turn off the pumps which effectively stops leakages."

"We are very confident what we are putting in the ground is safe."

Did you consider not building the 7-Eleven after the February 28 megaflood?

"No, I take a medium to long term view on this site. Just look at the location with the way the road intersects. We will stick to the fundamentals."

At this time of Lismore's recovery process, the 7-Eleven will eventually supply jobs, not just for the construction as Julian wants to use local companies and labour but also for the 20 jobs the 24/7 business will create plus the ongoing landscaping maintenance and truck drivers for deliveries.

"We feel we will be part of the recovery of Lismore. Something brand new coming of the ground will be significant," Julian added.

As for timing, the build should begin in the first half of the new year. At the moment the Spectrum Retail Group is going through detailed design work to implement the 78 conditions. Once they break ground, it is usually a six-month building process.

So, by the end of 2023 Lismore will have its first 7-Eleven selling $5 sandwiches, salads and sushi along with $1 coffee and the famous Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

Importantly, it will be employing 20 plus people as the rebuild continues.