Posted Tuesday, June 24 --- 6:00pm

The effort to re-open a small business badly damaged by floodwater is proving costly. Local businesses in La Valle in northwestern Sauk County have moved to re-open quickly to recoup the cost of being closed -- and rebuilding.

"We usually get a pretty good lunch crowd," Jim Fish says. This is the first lunch crowd at Fishy's in a long time. "They've been asking us for 3 to 4 days ... when you gonna be back open... when you gonna be back open," he says.

The bar along the Baraboo River opened almost a week ago. Its grill started sizzling again Tuesday afternoon -- about two weeks after downtown La Valle flooded. Co-owner Jim Fish has spent thousands -- in a hurry.

"We took out all of the walls... took out all of the insulation... put it all back together," Fish says.

One downtown stop that's still closed -- the post office. If people in the village want their mail, they need to go seven miles into neighboring Juneau County to get it.

"I'm a business owner... need my mail every day ... so we send him... hahaha," real estate agent Julie Alibrando says.

Parts of the village suffered through several feet of water. The telephone company also is still closed. The office relocated to a nearby school.

Across the street...

"We can't really do much...cause we're relying on construction crews and everything," Kelly Kaun says.

Village Hair Designs is designing its new interior. "It's gonna be a nice new salon... pretty much. Just hoping everybody is gonna come back and see us," she says.

So, as the sign says... begins reconstruction ... for homeowners ... "hoping to be back in this weekend... "

And businesses...ready to get back to routine.

"Fourth of July, one of our bigger weekends... we can't wait," Fish says.

Village leaders say a special meeting is being held on July 14th for residents to learn more about La Valle applying to be re-instated into the national flood insurance program.