When the pandemic hit Australia, lockdown meant Wagga residents were forced to stay at home, only leaving for essential reasons.
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But getting takeaway was still allowed and soon Stacey Catlin found her business, the Little Cup Cafe at Kooringal, was flourishing.
"It's been a stressful time with COVID but, as much as it affected us, it was not as bad as it would have been for some others," she said.
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"On the main street, you rely on the foot traffic. But here we had people coming out for their walks in the residential area.
"It's still steady now. We are actually probably busier now than pre-COVID. We are up about 300 per cent from the previous owners and there is so much potential here."
However, Ms Catlin has been off work for two months due to injuries.
"I have done my back and my knee in," she said.
"I am happy to continue owning the business but I would like to sell it to someone with the time and dedication for the business to reach its full potential.
"There is so much more the business can do, however, I don't have the physical ability with the knee injury to reach that objective anymore."
Ms Catlin has also found that when she was off work she realised just how much being a business owner takes from her personal life. "Hospitality is such an intense industry," she said.
"You are always moving. You are always on your feet.
"[Since the injury] I have been home and I have been able to see the family and it's just things you don't realise you are missing."
Ms Catlin moved to Wagga in 2019 and soon discovered that the casual hours she had been promised would vary each week.
Sometimes it was not enough to cover weekly expenses. So, when the opportunity to take over the Little Cup Cafe arose, Ms Catlin jumped at the chance.
As a newcomer to the city, Ms Catlin said the best part about running the Little Cup Cafe has been getting to know the locals.
"We started the one in Ashmont," she said.
"We had an attempted break-in, but we decided to close it after that and then we moved the machine to the op-shop so we are going to supply from there ... instead of us having our own store."
Ms Catlin has listed the Little Cup Cafe for sale at $230,000.
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