Walking down Bunbury's CBD streets you could be forgiven for thinking small businesses are doing it tough but one brand who opened a year ago is proving you can succeed.
Children's store Kidd and Co opened on Victoria Street last June with owner Allison Filinski now finalising plans for an expansion into the shop next door.
"We are busy, we're doubling last year, online sales have quadrupled in the last three months so we're flat out," she said.
"I've been tracking foot traffic from last year to this year and it's increasing.
"Even though it feels like town has been quieter there is a lot more people knowing we are here now."
Ms Filinski credits her success to working on the brand, offering a click and collect service and online shopping alongside the shop plus working with social media influencers including Kourtney Kardashian.
"We're definitely a niche market, in the last four months I've worked really hard to push our brand out there and focus on what we're about," she said.
"People will spend money, if they love something they will buy it, I don't think it's all doom and gloom."
Ms Filinski encouraged other business to make the leap to a shopfront and said there was plenty of benefits.
"Rent is not that expensive in Bunbury, street frontage is cheaper than going into a big shopping centre, you've got your own identity, you don't have to compete with the shop next to you and you don't have to give centre management part of your profits," she said.
People will spend money, if they love something they will buy it, I don't think it's all doom and gloom.
- Kidd and Co owner Alison Filinski
CommSec Chief Economist Craig James echoed the Kidd and Co owners senitments on a recent trip to Bunbury and said despite an increase in empty shopfronts, the number of small businesses in the region were rising.
"The number of businesses starting up around Bunbury continues to grow - there is plenty of home-based businesses or multiple businesses coming from the one establishment," he said.
"The latest boost was the rate cut which gives people more incentive to spend, we believe in any environment there is always opportunities as well as challenges.
"There is plenty of potential for growth out there it's just a case of making sure your business is configured to be able to tap into the growth."
