'The next level': Popular Church Street business oCo and The Juice for sale in Mudgee

Owner Kelly O'Connor said the 'successful and profitable' business that flourished after opening during COVID lockdowns is ready to be taken to the next level and she's hoping someone can come along and give it the love it deserves.

"It's a perfect business for someone who wants that lifestyle. It's given me more than I thought it ever would. But I've got to be kind to it and it needs the next level. I can see someone else doing it," she said.

"Besides my kids. It's the best thing I've ever done, and I'm really proud of it.

"Mudgee has really taken it as their own. That's one thing that surprised me actually, is that everyone's got around it. And they love it like it's theirs."

Kelly rediscovered her love for teaching after coming back briefly during teacher shortages last year and knew it was where she needed to be and decided then to put the business up for sale.

"I went back and did a few casual days with the teacher shortage to help out and I realised that that's where teaching is... in my blood. And I feel like that's where my skills are needed at this point in time with the lack of teachers," she said.

"My kids are in high school and they were there with minimal supervision but no one to teach them. So I did a few days and I really enjoyed going to school with them. We all go together and we all come home together. I felt like just doing this in my bones really. I quite enjoyed that, I want to keep doing that and I can't do both."

Her passion for the business remains however, Kelly said she's not in a hurry to sell it to 'just anyone' and understands how important a business like hers can be.

"I want the right person to buy it," she said.

"[Running the business] gave me a real sense of owning something myself and doing something for myself. And it gave me financial freedom. It gave me the lifestyle that I needed at the time," she said.

"The cost of live living has gone up. My meals haven't gone up in price too much, but they're substantial. And easy. I think. I had a guy came in and he said, 'I can buy one of these for me and my wife every night of the week, and it's cheaper than shopping.'

"I wanted to do hospitality. It's always interested me, but I didn't want to do the nights and I didn't want to do the weekends. But I wanted to serve people, help people.

"The story's not over. It's just ready for the next step though who is going to write that chapter I'm not sure yet."