Paddington, Thirroul and Camden were all on the list of places the business could have called home. 

The 39-year-old chose Wollongong as the base for her boutique-style gallery, Holly Eva – a decision she said was “a dream come true”.

“When I came to Wollongong, it was almost like the city just meets that beautiful coastal feel and I absolutely love the energy here,” Mrs Gay said. 

“Without a doubt, I chose Wollongong and I’m so happy and grateful that I did.” 

Foot traffic through her shop, located at the lower end of the Crown Street Mall, has been promising and shoppers have all given similar feedback.  

“I’m just overwhelmed with the amount of people that are coming in saying ‘this is what Wollongong needs, we’re so happy that you’re here’,” she said.

The artwork and other items on offer also left their mark on NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian, who made sure she grabbed a business card during a visit on Tuesday. 

“This is a wonderful symbol of what is really happening in Wollongong, it’s a gorgeous place to visit,” Ms Berejiklian said. 

“She [Mrs Gay] had the option to open up her shop in Sydney or anywhere else but she chose Wollongong and I think that says a lot about the future and business confidence in the area.

“I think her story will be one of many.”

Ms Berejiklian visited the business as part of a day-long visit to Wollongong. She also toured the iAccelerate start-up incubator and other centres at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus, before hosting a roundtable with Illawarra business leaders.

“The success of the region speaks for itself but I think it’s important for all of us, as a government, to make sure we’re here, personally and physically, to see for ourselves and listen,” she said. 

“There’s always pockets of challenge, there’s always areas in which we can do better and as a government we recognise that.

“We’ve done a lot but there’s still more to do, our work is far from finished and we’ll continue to concentrate in those areas where we can give greater support to the community.”