When one door shuts, another door opens.
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At least that's the motto The Little Hair Cottage Salon Dubbo owner, and hairdresser, Debbie Hyland lives by.
Like many others who have been working in retail in recent times, Mrs Hyland was stood down temporarily due to COVID-19 restrictions in place across the state, and was enjoying spending her time with her children.
Little did she know then, her break from work would be cut short and the start of a new journey would unravel.
"I was out enjoying lunch one day at the Magnolia Cafe while also looking for a gift at the nursery and noticed a for lease sign in the window of the salon there," Mrs Hyland said.
Mrs Hyland fell in love with the salon at first glance, rejoicing in its 'safe location'.
"I knew right then this was where I wanted to come to work each day," she said.
"I thought, what a safe spot, surrounded by beautiful gardens and the smell of coffee and beautiful smiling faces passing by and coming through."
So began the start of her new journey running her very own salon in Dubbo, The Little Hair Cottage.
Shortly after deciding to take over the salon space, Mrs Hyland began renovations to transform the salon into her own.
She has since opened the doors to The Little Hair Cottage to the public.
Mrs Hyland, who has been hairdressing for 20-years, said if not for COVID-19, she may never have branched out on her own as a salon owner again, as it wasn't something she had been thinking about doing before everything that happened.
"I probably never would have come upon this opportunity if things had of been different," she said.
"I took advantage of the opportunity and of it (the salon) having been vacant at the same time I happened to be there.
"I just think- with COVID-19, we've all just got to learn to live with it the best that we can.
"One thing I did learn out of these COVID-crazy times is that hairdressing is an essential service and where I had previously worked, for at Javo Hairstyling Salon up at Orana Mall, for 17 years before getting a second job working at Suzanne's."
The boutique style nursery and garden centre is set in an established garden and hosts a cafe and the salon, which had been vacant prior to Mrs Hyland taking over the space.