Another local business has made the post-flood move as Lismore Outboard Sales & Service have opened in the old Pirlos building on Union Street, South Lismore.

Lismore Outboard is a family business owned and run by Michael and Denise Vidler with their children Matty and Michelle heavily involved.

In what has been a blessing, the family started looking around for new premises before Christmas last year before settling on the old Pirlos building further down Union Street than the old premises which was over the bridge past the shops. The owner of their old building, which is a residential/commercial business is receiving a buyback so they would have been forced to move anyway and now have four weeks to complete the process.

As with most people who owned a business in South Lismore, the Vidlers sustained massive losses after February 28, 2022, and were then inconvenienced again by the March flood. The estimate is over $500,000.

"We lost three walls in the shop so we were working out of shipping containers in the side shed. That's been for over 12 months as we reopened three weeks after the flood."

"We've been cleaning up in here since February as there was still mud on the floor then before Easter we started putting up the interior walls and painting."

When you are running a business as well as trying to move, there is not a lot of time to get the job done. That Lismore spirit, a few friends and other family members make it happen.

(Part of the new showroom at Union Street)

"We've been working every weekend, every weekend," Denise mused, "We've been working with generators as there has been no electricity for lighting and that, the boys would even sleep over."

"Everything was done by 12-volt drills and even the drop saw was running off the generator."

"It's been good though. Tiring and exhausting but good," Denise laughed.

As is the case for most business owners, you cannot simply take time off and go on holiday to recover, you need to keep going to get money in the door.

The new location is proving to be a winner for Lismore Outboard Sales & Service.

"It's been really good. We've got more traffic coming past the front door. We've even had customers come in and say they didn't know we existed and they only lived in Casino because they would turn right over Ballina Street bridge."

"This is still a work in progress. We have to get the workshop up and running properly and some fencing to go up. We're still using the other site for storage at the moment."

That storage involves a lot of damaged outboard motors that Michael has been trying to salvage for parts then throw the rest away for scrap metal. In terms of numbers, we are talking around 130 outboard motors.

The irony for the Vidlers was their insurance company was arguing over the fact they took their stock off-site to try and save it. As it was, the flood was much bigger than anyone thought so the stock was lost anyway. According to their policy they had to be seen to move it, which they did.

"We were lucky they bought a new fence otherwise we would have had all our boats back in Lismore," Denise laughs, "It contained them in the one spot."

Insurance covered only part of the Vidler's losses, so as with most businesses that suffered massive losses they weren't sure whether to reopen.

"There were plenty of times that we weren't going to come back. It was just such a battle. Michael had to do it with just the two kids for a long time because I was out of action for a long time. If it wasn't for them we wouldn't be here."

With the move nearly complete, the Vidler's are enjoying the extra space.

"We were running out of room at the old place, the showroom was chock-a-block full. At least now, we have all the new boats inside so they don't get as dirty as what they did outside. Instead of washing them to keep them clean, we can run a feather duster over them."

Another positive in a negative.

Lismore Outboard Sales & Service is at 223 Union Street, South Lismore (the old Pirlos Fruit & Veg shop). They are open Monday to Friday from 7am to 5pm and Saturday from 8:30am to 12 noon.