It’s been a big first week for the small team at Swifty’s Fresh Seafood Market, now finally open at their new location on Keen St opposite the cinema.

Michael ‘Swifty’ Swift and his sister Liz have been surprised and delighted at the amount of customers through the door in their first week at the new site.

Michael explained to the Lismore App that the journey to open the doors took longer than anticipated.

“I thought it would take about three weeks but I got so busy out the front that it took about five months. I had the van out front here four days a week,” Michael explained.

Swifty’s seafood comes direct from the fishing trawlers who deliver their catch to Maclean Co-op where Swifty himself makes a daily, early morning trip to collect fresh produce to sell at his Lismore shop.

“I live in Woombah so I pick up from Maclean Co-op every day. I get stuff from Ballina and Coffs and Tweed Heads and I bring it all here,” he said.

And the time between ocean and ice on Keen Street?

“Two hours, sometimes more obviously. Sometimes we have green prawns that are straight off the boat then straight here, so it’s pretty fresh,” Swifty said.

After 12 Christmases selling fresh seafood, Swifty has a fair understanding of how the market works and what impacts the weather can have on supply.

“I’m going to rely on the weather. If the weather is good, we’ll have heaps. If there is strong winds or big seas, cyclones coming down the coast – there’s no fresh prawns, it’s that simple. Prawns are definitely the most popular thing,” Michael explained.

Liz Swift

While not able to take preorders for Christmas this year, Michael is happy to let customers know what product will be in store.

“I’ll do everything I can to get fresh prawns. The best thing is for people to come in two weeks beforehand and have a chat and I can give them an idea of what will be available,” he said.

Northern Rivers residents will know Michael from his seafood van at the Magellan Street Thursday market where he’s been established for the last decade. He has also been a regular at the Kyogle Market for 10 years. Before that he did stints at Lismore, Grafton and Gold Coast markets.

photos of Swifty's trawler on display

“I started in my first trawler in 2000. I bought my first trawler in about 2010 and then I started doing this about the same time. Lismore’s always been my main attraction for the business.”

Growing up in Lismore, Michael recalls some of the businesses that have been housed in the large, corner building now home to Swifty’s.

“It was a church group. Before that it was a dance hall, before that it was a paint shop. I think the camping mob were in here too. It was originally a servo, 50 years ago. It’s had an interesting metamorphosis,” Michael said.

Swifty’s Fresh Seafood Market is at 50 Keen Street.

Open Monday to Friday 10 – 5, Saturday 9 – 2.