Sharon Kennedy purchased the business in 2011 with the dream of turning the store into a destination for cool and colorful clothing, catering for both men and women of all ages and sizes – eight to 24 for women and up to 3XL for men.

As part of her strategy, she renamed the shop Safari Leisurewear in 2014 to reflect the change of focus to colourful resort or cruise wear.

At the same time she moved the store to a redesigned brighter and more welcoming shop in the air-conditioned Galleria.

Sharon says her collections of colourful resort and leisurewear have been very popular and the store has a good following from locals and tourists. It’s also a big drawcard when the cruise ships are in town.

Having lived in Darwin for over 25 years, and with more than 12 years’ experience as a retailer in the city and Casuarina, Sharon knows all about the unique Territory lifestyle.

It has also taught her how important it is to be totally focused on customer service and to make being in her shop a fun and enjoyable experience. This is apparent with the repeat business from both local and interstate customers.

And Sharon is proud of her memory for faces and people. Interstate visitors are pleasantly surprised when she remembers their names and what they bought on their last visit to Darwin.

She recalls a recent experience with a couple who had been in her shop about 18 months before when their cruise ship was in town. This year they returned to Darwin on a different ship but when they dropped into the store Sharon was able to greet them by name – just all part of the service.