It might have taken her 20 years, but Tina Alexandra has finally ticked a very important item off her bucket list.
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When Ms Alexandra's friend and owner of Millthorpe Sweets and Treats, Wendy Donno, approached her in the middle of November about taking over the store, she thought it was a joke at first.
"But I rang her back the next day (to say yes)," she said.
"If I get an idea I just go out there and do it. Life is too short."
But the desire to run her own lolly shop started well before then.
During a trip to Sweden in 2003, Ms Alexandra couldn't help but take notice of the myriad of 'godis shops'.
"You walk in and they have lollies galore which are all sold by weight and I thought it was perfect," she added.
Ms Alexandra officially took over the iconic Millthorpe store at the beginning of 2024.
"It's been a huge week," she said.
"You get quiet days in business but for the most part it's been really busy."
Those six weeks prior to taking the reigns felt like the longest of her life.
"You don't get anywhere with someone else controlling your income," she said.
"You've got all these ideas and things you could do if you get a chance. Now I've got a chance."
Ms Alexandra's appointment as owner marks the second change for the business in as many years.
The Bathurst woman believes the store was in great condition before she took over, but that doesn't mean there aren't some ideas floating about to make it even better.
"It's a unique store with some old fashioned lollies and people can expect great service, so hopefully we've got what they're looking for," Ms Alexandra said.
"The kids lollies sell like hot cakes. Seeing the joy on their faces is the icing on the cake."
And if you thought she was excited about what's to come, you can bet her eight grand-children will be begging to make the trek down the road for a taste test.