Even when the July flooding put a halt to the anticipated school holiday trade, she still put a smile on her face.

Mrs Southon owns Southon Styles in Rutherford Marketplace, and has a second store at Hunter Valley Gardens.

It all started about 10 years ago when, after struggling to find clothes that fit well, Mrs Southon took a trip to Thailand and had some dresses custom made.

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Her friends were asking where her dresses were from, so she contacted the dressmaker and put in a wholesale order.

Before she knew it, Mrs Southon was selling clothes at markets around the Hunter, then at a Green Hills store, and now in Rutherford Marketplace, where she has been for almost six years.

Mrs Southon said the best part of owning a women's fashion store is the customers.

"I absolutely love helping people," she said.

"Customers feel welcome; everyone who comes in the store it doesn't matter even if they're just browsing, we have a chat.

"I love having my own business... you get some real ups and downs, obviously."

During the July flooding, Southon Styles had to close for five days because the roads were too dangerous to get there.

"You just have to get on, go with the good and the bad," Mrs Southon said.

"The last three years were 60 per cent down, I know that.

"We're slowly trying to come back but the floods haven't helped because we rely on a really good school holiday trade."

Mrs Southon came to Maitland from the Central Coast 11 years ago for a job opportunity, and has stayed for the great community.

Her family is made up of her husband Chris, son Jack, daughters Jasmine and Chelsea and granddaughter Zahli who is the store's youngest helper.

Mrs Southon loves living in Rutherford, and said everyone's so nice.

"I've really never had an issue, everyone's just so nice but I'm friendly anyway," she said.

"I just think the community is lovely, I love living here.

"I think it's God's country."

Mrs Southon and her family love all the food spots Maitland has to offer, like having a coffee at Lavenders Cafe, or watching the Hunter River flow past over breakfast at The Orange Tree.

If she needs to be in Lorn, she always makes sure to go early to visit the cafes there, and when in the Hunter Valley she loves taking Zahli to the Hunter Valley Wildlife Park, and visiting the restaurants and cafes.

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