As the clean up continues, the way forward for many business owners in Lismore is still unclear. Tropicana, Masala Fusion Indian and Traditional Medicinals are only some of many businesses still unsure about whether or not they can open again.

The Lismore App spoke to some of the business owners on Keen Street to find out what their plans for the future were.

Mandarin Palace

As she cleaned the mud from the front window of her shop, Mandarin Palace owner Samantha Wu fought to hold back tears.

Outside on the footpath was a pile of “rubble” made up of remnants from inside of the Chinese restaurant – chairs, tables, Chinese lanterns, fortune cookies and broken fixtures and walls.

“We have to bring this shop back to life,” she said. “My family has been here for twenty years and our whole lives are in this business.”

Samantha cried and said she and her husband Simon Wu have been here since they were married.

“We started our family and educated our children here in Lismore,” she said.

With the help of their children, the couple are trying their best to clear out the shop and get it to a state that they can open up a small portion near the front and start a small takeaway business.

She said she was lucky because her roof design meant she just had to replace the tiles and reopen fairly quickly compared to some other businesses.

Samantha said the $50,000 government grant on offer to businesses who have been flood-affected would not be enough to even cover the cost of replacing our cool room and freezer.

They also can’t find anyone to take out the large freezer from the shop because everyone is so busy. If you can help out, please let them know.

You can volunteer with Resilient Lismore and help them.

“Once it’s gone, we can measure the space and order new fittings and get a new freezer," she said.

"It’s important because we need to order bulk Chinese food ingredients and keep them frozen."

Alex at Tropicana

For Alex, owner of Tropicana fruit and veg shop on Keen Street, it could be the end of an era for his family business of 33 years.

Like many business owners in the CBD, he is waiting to see what happens with the building before he decides if he can open again.

“It depends on whether or not the shop gets refitted by the landlord,” he said

He’s been there for 33 years.

“My father was there in the late 30s and early 40s, but this time it looks like it could be the end.”

Russell at Traditional Medicinal

Russell too is unsure about whether he will be able to open his Traditional Medicinal business again.

He lost all his stock but managed to save the computer, tills and eftpos machine.

The inside of the shop, like so many other shops, has been torn apart. The floodwater went up to the ceiling and the gyprock had all fallen away.

“It depends on the roof and how well we can clean the place,” he said. “And if we can get the equipment going.”

With no electricity in town yet, he’s borrowed a generator to get some hot water happening to try to clean the shop, but the task is mammoth. He also hopes the hot water service will recover from being inundated in the flood.

Masala Indian Fusion

Satnam Singh Sony, owner of Masala Indian Fusion restaurant is not sure if he will reopen yet.

He is waiting to see how much money he can loan so he can rebuild.