Looking for a job? This beloved Lismore shop needs you

THE store has survived flooding, voluntary administration and a pandemic, but now needs staff to be able to reopen.

Ishka in Lismore starts its clearance sales. Photo: Marc Stapelberg

DESPITE surviving a major flood and voluntary administration, the only thing now stopping this popular Lismore store from reopening is a lack of staff.

Ishka owner Toby Darvall said it had been a difficult period for the company, which went into voluntary administration in February, before the administrator closed all stores in response to the coronavirus pandemic in March.

He said the Ishka team were "super excited" to have gotten through voluntary administration and COVID-19, and have since reopened 36 stores.

"It's been a pretty wild ride for us," Mr Darvall said.

"Unfortunately the only store we can't reopen is Lismore. Our shop is ready, we have stock and our systems are ready.

"We're willing and able to throw our doors open but we just don't have any staff."

Mr Darvall said it had been a blow to have the store ready to open but be unable to find staff members, especially following the "phenomenal" support customers had shown prior to the pandemic shutdown.

"We asked our loyal customers to support us, as well as our staff and makers by shopping, and telling their friends to shop too - and they did," he said.

"Our Lismore customers were amazing and were buying up a storm.

"They were so kind to our staff, bringing in flowers and one woman brought a box of homemade chocolates for the staff. It really gave us hope to keep the store going."

Mr Darvall said after losing the former staff, the company was searching for up to six new employees.

"We had some incredible staff members, so to lose them was pretty disappointing," he said.

"We've got a bit of a soft spot for Lismore, and it has always been one of our best stores, so we're super keen to open but we don't have any staff."

Positions available include a full time store manager, a part time assistant manager and three to four casual retails assistants.

"The manager needs to have experience in retail with a passion for our products," he said.

"Someone who has got an interest in handmade, fair trade items. We've got a very unique product mix and the position really suits someone with a worldly view.

"The region has a really strong philosophical view which suits our products, and that's why we've always done so well in Lismore.

"We know the right people are out there, we just need to find them."

Interested applicants can email [e-mail] with their resume.