Mrs Willocks has owned Visual Effects, a Dunedin based events and hire business, for the past 15 years.
Last year, she shifted into premises in Princes St and now she has opened a furniture, homewares and wedding accessories shop in previously vacant premises adjoining her showroom.
Mrs Willocks was passionate about injecting life into the area and wanted to see it ''buzzing''.
She welcomed the shift of Silver Fern Farms into the former chief post office and was looking forward to the opening of the four star plus hotel in the building in October.
''People are starting to wander down here in their lunch times and have a look around. I'm hoping [more] people decide to walk this way as well as the other way.''
Trained as a window dresser, Mrs Willocks established her business after seeing a gap in the market. It gradually grew until it was time to open a showroom ''and make myself more visible''.
The events and hire business catered for the likes of conferences, functions, special occasions and weddings.
If she did not have something in stock required for a theme, then she would make it, even down to a gondola for an Italian themed event.
She had one full time staff member and then a team that she called upon when she needed additional help.
The wedding season ran between about October and Easter, followed by school ball season and then conference season.
Mrs Willocks operated in a state of ''high anxiety'' much of the time, because people had huge expectations.
''And, of course, I've got this commitment to myself, as well as the client. I over deliver,'' she said.
It was a necessary skill to be able to ''think on your feet straight away'' and come up with whatever they wanted.
''They [clients] absolutely expect you to come up with an idea while you're standing there,'' she said.
A problem solving ability was also needed - ''when things do go pear shaped, people just expect me to be able to fix it'' - along with being physically fit and strong.
''We're up and down ladders, crawling around floors, we're all over the place,'' she said.
Working in buildings like the art gallery and museum could be particularly challenging, when access was often available only a short time before the function began.
But the reward came when she walked into a venue with a client ''and they go 'wow'. It makes you feel good that you've done a good job and you've lived up to expectations,'' she said.
''I can honestly say I've never, in the 15 years I've been in business, had anyone complain and never done the same thing twice,'' she said.
There were variations on a theme but every client was different and that was what made the job interesting.
At the moment, vintage themed weddings were popular. Last year, during ball season, she did the likes of The Great Gatsby, and also Frozen - ''50 million thousand times'', she said, laughing.
She was constantly looking at wedding magazines to see what the new trends were. When it came to balls, pupils and students, in particular, were usually after a theme that was ''reasonably relevant''.
Business was steady and she was definitely busier since she had moved into Princes St in May last year, she said.
The new homeware business was driven by regular inquiries from people wanting to buy her hire items.
Mrs Willocks also did commercial Christmas decorations, and a concept she designed was sold into 16 or 17 New World supermarkets around the country.
''I'll have a go at anything, really. I can always find something else to lose sleep over,'' she said, laughing.
''Never is there a minute in my day when I can think 'everything's done, I can just put my feet up'. I'm really fortunate I have no trouble getting out of bed in the morning,'' she said.
