Irissa Poga, Ted Snare and Ashleigh Banfield in the business of making us smile

On International Day of Happiness, the Australian Bureau of Statistic's social media lit up over its choice of hairdressing salons, cafes and florists among businesses in the retail sector that amuse everyday Australians.

The ABS said "all over the world people are now recognising that progress should be about increasing human happiness and wellbeing, not just growing the economy."

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Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra suggested retail assistants should be recognised because "during the lockdowns our front line workforce were often the only connection to the community and kept food on our tables."

The United Nations began the global celebration every March 20 in 2012 to highlight the importance of happiness in people's lives, emphasizing more than ever on well-being in this year's theme, Choose to Help, as the world combats the devastating effects on people's mental health and disconnection escalated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Locally, this day may have slipped our attention.

Our humble shopkeepers comprise about 11 per cent, or 1,289 of the overall 5,183 businesses in the region making human connections with their customers a priority in their business aside from making profit.

Florist Irissa Poga feels fortunate her job arranging flowers is one of the best in the world, agreeing that a posy of bright blooms and bouquets bring happiness to anyone because "flowers speak of love".

"Flowers make people happy and I believe it. When people receive flowers it makes them feel loved that someone is thinking of them that someone loves them," Ms Poga of The Meadow on Talbragar Street said.

Centrespot Cafe on Macquarie Street is one of the folks' favourites and its owners Ted and Natalie Snare are pleased to see brisk retail activity has come back after pandemic shutdowns closed them for nine weeks.

"There's absolutely positive signs out there, our catering service is back and lunches are consistently good again," Mr Snare said while serving a hot cuppa to customer Vicky Murphy, of Coonabarabran, who's spending a day in Dubbo for medical checks.

Tradesmen Lachlan of Board Construction and Andrew of HB Construction also popped in for their "coffee break to perk up our morning."

"It's back to lots of lunches, coffee, milkshakes, morning teas and lots of dad jokes around here," Mr Snare said.

Hairdresser Ashleigh Banfield is proud of being in a line of business where every lady who comes in "feels beautiful again" and it is a huge motivating factor for her as a small business owner.

"It's quite a nice thing to be able to refresh them, make them feel beautiful again and give them a bit of relaxing time while here."