“It has a great vibe”: Lismore pop-up store a lifesaver for flood weary residents

Residents needing essential groceries are buying them out of a tent.

One of the biggest supermarket chains in the Northern Rivers that was destroyed in the 2022 historic Lismore floods has been serving the community from a pop-up tent in the city central business district.

Lismore Coles Store manager Cheryl Muirhead said the pop-up tent store was a first for Coles.

“It’s interesting,” Ms Muirhead said, “It’s a blueprint for if we ever have to do this again.”

Eftpos only registers are installed at the mouth of the store with only hand baskets available to accommodate the stores size and scale.

“We get thanked every single day for being here,” Ms Muirhead said.

Coles has retained Lismore staff, Maree, Jas, Cheryl and Chloe at its pop-up store. Picture Cath Piltz

“People are just grateful that Coles are back in Lismore and they don’t have to go up the hill.”

Designed to be up and running as quickly as possible the “tent” houses more than 65 pallets with now over 200 lines of items trucked in twice a week.

“We order in the morning and the delivery arrives that afternoon,” Ms Muirhead said.

“We have those buying essentials, like bread, milk, something for dinner.

“And then we have those that are purely looking for snacks, so the amount of corn chips and salsa we’ve sold?

“I would not have put money on it.”

Lismore Coles pop-up store located behind Lismore regional gallery on Rural Street. Picture Cath Piltz

The layout of the pop-up is back to back pallets stacked with non perishable items and two open refrigerators along one wall.

“The original set up was 67 pallets which is what you see around the sides and it was about how quickly we could get in.

“The shelves were added as the time has gone on where we have put some different range in for what the community wanted.”

The airconditioned all-weather marquee store will remain behind the Lismore Regional Gallery for another twelve weeks while the main location of the supermarket is rebuilt in the Lismore Shopping Square.