The Lismore CBD welcomes a brand new first-time business on Conway Street, Valley of Craftsmen.

Valley of Craftsmen opened two weeks ago, with owners Lawrence Clain and Amber Ross taking the risk of opening a retail shop for the first time.

Lawrence hails from the Blue Mountains, while Amber is from Cape Tribulation, 140 kilometres north of Cairns within the Daintree National Park. The Northern Rivers has been home for nearly a decade, and the couple bought a house in Girards Hill two years ago, so they are invested in the Lismore community.

Amber is an Interior Architect and Support Worker. Lawrence's passion is working with wood and resin, he has been creating products for ten years, but this is his first retail space.

"My partner makes chopping boards, and he started making tables out of local camphor laurel timber. This year he said, let's open a shop," Amber told the Lismore App, "I said God no and then I came around to the idea."

"It was a wonderful thing for me to come in and import different art, furniture and pottery as well. It just sort of happened."

If you are after something tasteful and unique, then Valley of Craftsmen is a shop you should visit.

"We've got another business called The Rug Room, which has their beautiful rugs from Afghanistan and Pakistan on sale."

"All the pottery is from a lovely lady from Noosa called Pottery for the Planet. We've got Christine Cameron, who does the lino-cutting prints, and Joy Hazel is our resident artist who has 'Colourful Women' for sale, which is very fun. Her next story will involve Australian native flowers, plus she creates some pottery too."

"Another lady from Bangalow will be displaying her big fruit bowls and dinner sets."

If you are looking for something with some history, Amber pointed out two 120-year-old wine-distilling pots from a town in China that has existed since 1300 BC.

"We've got a few antique pieces scattered throughout the shop like those antique paper mache pots."

You will not only see Lawrence and Amber in Valley of Craftsmen but Tamara Warry once a fortnight too.

"Tam's been looking for a job for a very long time, she put in her resume and it stood out."

Karen Flynn and Isasack Vitesnik (owner of the Rug Room) will be working in the shop too.

How is life in the retail business?

"It can be really quiet but it was a busy morning for Tam and myself because our lamps have been selling really well."

"I got 22 lamps in, and they all just went, so I had to order more in, and it's only been two weeks. That delivery arrived today, so Tam and I have been unpacking and setting it up."

"It's been nice meeting Lismore locals actually. It is amazing who comes out of the woodwork, and we've had a lot of people from down the coast, which is interesting."

Valley of Craftsmen is at Shop 1/75 Conway Street, Lismore CBD. It is open 9am to 5pm Tuesday to Friday and 9am to 2pm Saturday.