Chaos & Karma win title for Excellence in Retail at 2022 Orange Business Awards

Then, it happened - mother and daughter duo, Helen McBurnie and Jordan Garlick, walked out with gold at the 2022 Orange Business Awards, with their Chaos & Karma boutique claiming first place.

"The retail one was something that we wanted to win pretty badly," Ms Garlick said.

"Even though we were definitely hoping to win that category, it was still unexpected; and coming off the back of last year and not winning - it meant that much more."

Only just celebrating Chaos & Karma's third birthday in May, it's still taken the pair hard work, creative planning and surviving the retail sector in a pandemic.

Unlike other, established businesses with years of trading under their, Miss Garlick said they had "no backing" behind them when COVID was hitting the industry the hardest.

"We've managed to achieve so much, even though we opened during what was probably the worst time to be in retail," she said.

"It was more rent, more bills and with clothing, you have to order in advance. So, when you've got no one shopping - the thing your business relies on - but, you still have money going out from pre-orders ... it was a scary time."

Progressively growing in size, the duo expanded their business three times since its birth, with the last lockdown period giving the latest space a good revamp.

The shop was treated to a few upgrades, which now boasts a new fit out, fresh coats of paints, and sanded flooring - all completed by Ms McBurnie and Ms Garlick themselves.

"We decided to expand into Angus Barrett [Saddlery] during lockdown, which doubled our rent, so doing all of the renovations ourselves was kind of the only option," Ms Garlick said.

"But we came through it and we're smashing it now with all of the tourists, ended restrictions and spring finally here.

"So, to think of where we were from then to now - I'm proud of us."

Prior to launching their business, they'd been working at Odeon Cinemas together and juggling other casual work.

They also sold handcrafted jewellery and art pieces, retailing at locally-based markets for the few years before.

Though, Miss Garlick said they'd eyed a loophole in the industry.

"Myer had left the city centre, other stores were changing and I remember being at a few events where people were wearing the same thing," she said.

"I just thought 'there is market there for something different' and with mum coming from the point of her thinking she wasn't 'young enough' for some stores and 'not old enough' for others.

"We also couldn't afford the high-end boutiques, so we aimed for that middle area - where we were missing that middle-age and the mid-range price bracket - and then we just thought, 'why not?'"

Miss Garlick said they "never buy more than two packs" when it comes to their clothing range, which lowers the odds of running into double-up fashion blunders at local events.

They're also regularly turning over new stock, which they do to provide more options for their customers to choose from.

"We realised there was a need for more clothing options [in Orange], which we kept finding when we couldn't find something that we loved, could afford or felt comfortable wearing," Miss Garlick said.

"So, we really like being that different choice for people and while trade is only just starting to pick up again now - we're still here."

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