Pink emporium
Shopping had been a reasonably bleak affair for women living in the regional Victorian city of Ballarat up until two years ago. For as long as most women can remember, the city was home to just a few boutiques catering mostly for older women - other than the reasonably uninspiring chain stores.
This made the one-hour trek into Melbourne for a day at Chadstone or Brunswick Street a pretty appealing proposition - with women often travelling by the carload to the big smoke for a spot of retail therapy.
But Tanya Watson, at least, is making shopping in Ballarat a worthwhile proposition.
The self-starter opened the doors to Coco Pink just over two years ago, and the shabby chic boutique has become a well trodden path for women of all ages in Ballarat, plus for those who travel from Melbourne, Geelong and nearby Bendigo to splash some cash.
More recently, Watson - buoyed by strong support - took the plunge and opened a second women's fashion store in the city's main street - named Pink Pony.
Both stores have been an instant hit among women of all ages - filling a void that other local boutiques hadn't met.
Between the two stores, Watson stocks more than 50 labels, which cater to all price points and tastes. Labels include Olive, Mint, Sisnme, Zimmerman, Third Millenium, Manning Cartell, Bettina Liano and Nolita. The girly emporium also stocks a range of jewellery, handbags, belts, a huge range of apparel from the Metallicus range and selected shoes.
Coco Pink is also located next door to one of the city's hippest and most popular hair salons, making it a little too easy to blow a cool few hundreds dollars between the two stops. The boutique has a shabby chic interior and pink features; including a beautiful pale pink chair and matching lamp. On the other hand, Watson's new boutique Pink Pony - which caters to the younger market - features more outlandish hot pink light shades and long, luxurious, hot pink change room curtains.
"I have always been known for my love of the colour pink, so I knew that it was going to feature heavily in my own store.
"I think Coco Pink has educated girls here about the beauty of boutique shopping, and they've loved it," Watson says.
"We had a figure that we needed to make in the first month of business, and we certainly exceeded it, which was a huge relief. To me, that sends the message that we might be country chicks, but we still love fashion."
And while she certainly has the Ballarat market cornered, having a boutique in a regional area is no easier than being in a hip part of Melbourne, Watson said.
"It's certainly harder in country Victoria - it's very risky, and every season is just as big of a risk as the previous season, but you've just got to believe in what you're doing and go with it."
Watson says the key to her success has been self-belief.
"You've got to trust your gut and go with it - and make sure you're meeting a demand."
Watson's first foray into retail was at Just Jeans two decades ago. She dreamt of managing one of their stores one day, and after conquering that dream, Watson worked for Jeans West. Not long after that, she became interested in the world of fashion, but she knew to be wary.
"Quite often when people work for someone else; I think they see things through rose-coloured glasses, without really understanding how difficult it can be."
But after making a tidy sum renovating a couple of homes in Ballarat, Watson and her husband had the capital to make her dream come true.
She bought a store in the nearby coastal city of Geelong and turned it into a successful business before deciding to move to Ballarat and open Coco Pink.
"I set out to empower girls to express their femininity. If I don't love it then I can't sell it, so I Personalised service is also important, she says.
"We are not sales assistants - we are stylists. I will ring customers and tell them that a dress I think they will love has arrived, and they really appreciate that."
So, what's next?
"I will work hard for the next two years and hopefully see some financial rewards, and then we shall see. I'm always thinking about what might work."