There are approximately 500 businesses that have reopened on the Lismore App's What's Open button. It has been a monumental effort from all concerned to clean, dry and rebuild to get our city back open and trading once again. Especially for the busy Christmas trading period.

The catchphrase used during the rebuild was "Build Back Better", which is exactly what Rod and Sharon Latimer have done at little polli and the blackbird on Magellan Street.

Those that have walked past the shop would notice the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that give the store so much more light as well as an increased view of Carrington and Magellan Street.

"The full height glass is Sharon's brainchild," Rod told the Lismore App, "She wanted to get that modern feel."

However, the benefits are more than just aesthetic.

"It's sticky glass," Rod explained, "It's actually designed so that water can come into the shop.

Rod and Sharon can lock the door open about 10 centimetres so no one can get in or out if you're not meant to be in the shop. This is so water can run into the shop and leave the shop resulting in less pressure building up against the glass which is what shattered the old pane glass windows in February.

"Even if we got another big one, the windows should survive it," Rod added.

"It had to be thicker glass because it is full height, we don't have the old transom line through it."

"Troy Matthews and his boys from Lickiss did an amazing job."

The cost for the glass was not something Rod and Sharon were prepared for given they only purchased the building twenty (20) days before February 28 but one they were going to have to do eventually. Like most business owners, they were forced into a situation where they had to find money to rebuild to reopen.

The next Build Back Better element is the ceiling and walls. Villa board is what most owners are using this time round.

"It's a fibre cement sheeting, so, it can handle water," Rod explained, "Heaven forbid we ever get water that high again but essentially the ceiling should survive it. We should just be able to hose it out, sweep it out and let it dry."

"Ultimately, we are trying to reduce the turnaround time to get going again."

little polli also has painted brick walls that can be hosed and dried.

Another major issue has been the electrical meter boards with the lack of electricity a real problem for all businesses post flood.

"We've tried to move them as high as we could given the situation. I talked to electricians about trying to put them into the ceiling but that's not allowed."

The air conditioning units have been moved higher to levels that would have survived February 28.

Rod pointed to the newly moved meter boards saying they would have survived the 2017 flood "no problem" even the 1974 flood level would have been fine but there is no way of making any meter board February 28 2022 flood proof.

The pressed tin that is in the ceiling awning looks more obvious now the glass goes to the ceiling.

"The amount of people have come in since the flood and asked if the flood has uncovered that is amazing," Rod said, "It's been there for 90 years and it's still there."

The next Build Back Better element is the flooring.

"We've done an epoxy flooring all the way through the shop, so that's just a pressure clean out and it's good to go again."

That's the rebuild, what about the pack up for when the next flood hits the CBD?

"We thought about different things before the flood. There is ceiling space where we used to store stuff but that is now pointless so moving forward everything will have to come out."

"We've changed up the display racking that we're using. Now, it can all be flat-packed really quickly. It is essentially four screws and the shelves pop out and become flat."

"The counter we've built is modular so a few screws that breaks it up into about five pieces then we'll wheel it out to a truck. Then once we are ready to go, it just wheels back in and we screw it back together and we go again."

The time it will take to pack up the entire little polli shop is estimated to be eight (8) hours depending on the number of people helping. That is a complete exit so the damage bill is minimised compared to February 2022 when nearly all of the CBD was caught in moving stock above '74 levels within their building.

Rod said they always make an early call but with what they have done, they won't need the same amount of time as February dictated and "it will be an easier pack up as well".

As you have read, this is just one of many businesses that have tried to Build Back Better. Now, we wait to see what effect a third La Nina has on our spring and summer when the theories will be put to the test.