Here's what Paul's at Coco's, Dust and Sparkles and Life Pharmacy are up to

That's what Paul Dauvin believes makes his pizzas the best in the Central West, a title afforded to him following a competition run by Triple M.

While the owner of Paul's at Coco's was delighted by the honour, he wasn't even aware his business was in the running until right before the winner was announced.

"I had no idea," he said.

"A friend of my wife's messaged to say we'd been tagged in a competition and I didn't know anything about it until my wife told me we'd won it. I didn't even realise it was going on."

The former Robin Hood Hotel head chef and wife Emma Dauvin opened Paul's at Coco's towards the end of 2021 and Mr Dauvin said the support they have received since has been amazing.

"We're only a little family-run business and we've only been going in town for the last eight months now," he said.

"It's really good for Coco's as well. It's a great little coffee shop and I've been in here for a little bit and it's just a great little spot.

"Everyone's followed me wherever I've gone, so to get the best pizza in the Central West, that's a pretty big thing for us. There are some amazing pizza places around here, so it's great that the community is behind us."

So with pizza being produced at an award-winning level, the question had to be asked; what's the slice that tickles Mr Dauvin's fancy?

"The creamy garlic pizza, that's the pizza I've been doing for 20 years now and I haven't changed it since I started it at the Robin Hood. It's just the case that the locals know good pizza when they find one," he said of the pizza that the community has always had a fancy for.

"I'll be honest though, I like the vegetarian, but I like chucking pepperoni on it, it's just a really good combination."

A nurse-turned-business owner has opened a pop-up boutique store in the city.

Jo Willis' venture into the world of retail began in October 2021, when the Forest Reefs woman happened upon an empty shop in Millthorpe.

"I thought 'you know what will look good in there, a boutique," she said.

And thus began her Dust and Sparkles business venture. After a successful few months, she decided that expansion was on the cards and opened a pop-up version of her store within the Orange City Centre at the start of August.

"I just want to keep busy and I wanted to see how the business does. I just loved this space," she said.

"This is just a pop-up to see how we go, because it isn't a normal shop to have in a shopping centre, it is a bit out of the ordinary. So hopefully we can go permanent afterwards and then have the two."

The lease for the pop-up store runs until January of next year, when she will decide whether she wants to open a permanent second store somewhere within Orange.

"We sell everything from home décor to artwork, clothing, accessories and there will be shoes soon as well," Ms Willis added.

"So far it's all been good. The opening was really busy and the next day people were starting to learn we were here."

It's been months in the making, but Life Pharmacy has finally opened its doors in the Summer Centre.

Having undergone a name change - previously being McCarthy's Pharmacy - the store opened its doors on July 25.

Retail manager Caitlin Haase said the move had been warmly received.

"I feel like we're getting a lot of new customers which is nice, a lot of people coming in for convenience when they grab their shopping. It's really nice to see new faces," she said.

"We've always been part of the Life Pharmacy Group, for the past eight years. So we've had a bit of a name change, but it's still the same staff."

And while some things have stayed the same, pharmacist-in-charge Lauren Butler said there had been some changes as well.

"We've got a dispensing robot which is designed to make our dispensing a little bit quicker, so we should be able to get scripts in and out as quick as you would like," she said.

"Most of the regulars still love the pharmacy. They love all the things we've changed like the new robot as well as the two extra consult rooms."