Shelley Varnam relocated to the Bay of Plenty from Hamilton in order to take over the Tauranga franchise of national decorating chain Guthrie Bowron.
Ms Varnham said she had been researching Tauranga's business prospects for some time before making the move and had noted the area was on a growth curve, especially in the housing market.
"Business has definitely been picking up," she said.
The Guthrie Bowron franchise model had been successfully applied to stores across the country, which were of various footprints and customer geographies, said Paul Brljevich, a director of Tabak Business Sales, which brokered the sale.
Ms Varnham was taking over from owners who had retired after owning the franchise for many years, and she would be making some big changes to the business, said Mr Brljevich.