A Dubbo man with a disability is flourishing as a small business owner, about to open his first shop in the centre of the city.
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Peter Leafe started Leafe's Gifts & Crafts as a stall at markets last year, with handmade Australian soy wax candles a specialty.
Building up the venture, he secured a kiosk at the Delroy Park Shopping Centre, before planning a new chapter that has him excited.
On October 25 he'll open the doors of shop 1, 116-120 Macquarie Street, filling a vacant tenancy in the central business district.
He's looking forward to welcoming new and returning customers, and reports the premises means the business can stock a larger range.
Opening the store realises a goal, but Mr Leafe has a broader vision as well.
As a person with a disability, he wants to show others what is possible, and is also an advocate for equal employment.
He leads by example, reporting of the younger people and people with disabilities that make up his team of five employees.
"I like to give young people and also people with a disability a fair go," he said.
The branding that will soon grace the new shopfront has special meaning for Mr Leafe, who grew up at Coonabarabran and has lived at Dubbo for the past year.
It was inspired by his late mother, who he said was a keen scrapbooker, and had always wanted a leaf to feature in the logo.
The response of customers who supported Leafe's Gifts & Crafts at markets at Coonabarabran, Coonamble and Dubbo, and then the kiosk in the shopping centre buoyed Mr Leafe.
He said he had always received a "good positive attitude" from customers, and it had been "really important".
The array of products, including jewellery, candles, soaps and more, are also available through an online store that expands the business's customer base.
"Most of my online customers are actually from areas like Sydney and Brisbane," Mr Leafe said.
Always having something to do is one of the best aspects of having the business, its founder says.
"Some days I can be on the kiosk and some days I can actually be there, making the candles," Mr Leafe said.
The determined entrepreneur reflected on his journey and if he could have predicted it growing up.
"I had the goal there, but I didn't think I could actually achieve it the way I have now," Mr Leafe said.
In the lead-up to opening, the business has a pop-up shop at Dubbo Square this week.