Maintaining a positive attitude has been a key to survival for one Moss Vale business owner.
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Thinking outside the box has also been helpful.
Karen Edwards of Bowerbird in Argyle Street, Moss Vale, has enlisted this approach throughout the COVID-19 restrictions.
The attitude has been integral in making it through the tough times.
It was an approach that resulted in Ms Edwards and her Bowerbird team embracing a new initiative that they had previously "always been too busy to tackle."
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The business, which specialises in home decorating and gift ideas, has expanded its customer reach with an online presence.
Some of its most popular products include French candles from Cote Noir or Wave Tree and London, but the store is also well known for the quirky, fun and eclectic gift ideas.
Whatever your preference it can now be found in store or online.
"We've long considered launching our website, but never seemed to find the time," Ms Edwards said.
However, with 2020 most definitely serving up its fair share of challenges Ms Edwards knew she had to expand her reach in new ways.
She said Bowerbird, established three years ago, had experienced a significant drop in business due to the summer bushfires in the region.
"We were slowly getting back to normal when the COVID-19 restrictions came in," she said.
Ms Edwards said that with the support of JobKeeper, she had been able to keep all her staff on deck and the doors open throughout the restrictions.
But while the doors remained open, as was permissible under government regulations, the number of customers through those doors was minimal.
Creating a website for Bowerbird has proved a winning formula.
"The Covid restrictions forced us to look outside the square," Ms Edwards said.
"We had been putting off launching a website because we were too busy, but that changed due to the restrictions.
"We have already had several orders."
Meanwhile, Ms Edwards and her team are now also looking forward to a return to 'some normality' of business on the shop floor.
And she is cautiously excited about a new sense of activity and optimism in the community.
"Obviously we have to be mindful of regulations such as physical distancing, increased cleaning and sanitising," she said.
"I have a staff member assigned to specifically look after that area of the business.
"We are also lucky to have plenty of space within our store."
But the best news is that if you want to make a purchase through Bowerbird you now have more options and an assurance of safety being a priority.
You can drop into the Moss Vale store or you can head to the website bowerbirdonargyle.com.au.
