Meet the Browns - Phil

by Bethany Brown September 21, 2021

It's Phil's turn to be interviewed this week, so find a comfy seat, grab a mug of whatever your drink of choice and find out more about our man of the hour.

Watch aficionado, handy man and master of the spreadsheet, Phil is a man of many talents but there is even more to him than meets the eye.

What is one thing that customers don't know about you?

I used to be a pro windsurfer.

Here's some photos to prove it:

What jobs did you have before setting up Browns?

Lots! Previous jobs I have had are waiter (silver service and I wasn't very good at it!), labourer, chocolatier (for my parent's café and chocolate shop), teacher (including as a substitute teacher at Dulverton Middle School), outdoor pursuits instructor, canoe coach, residential childcare officer, potato picker, pro windsurfer and journalist (some snippets from my articles below).

What are the best and worst things about being self employed?

For both the best and worst thing it's not knowing how much income you will have each day. It’s addictive.

What is your favourite item you have ever had from the shop?

The Poseidon and Aphrodite stone planters hanging in our sun room. I love them.

Fun fact - when first asked this question, Phil chose an item which a friend brought us back from her trip to Namibia and which was definitely not from the shop! When we pointed this out he said "oh, well we should sell items like that!"

If you could take one item from the shop home right now, what would it be?

An endless supply of Kew soap bars they are so luxurious and make you feel uplifted.

What's your favourite thing about Dulverton?

Dulverton is a vibrant busy town with lots of visitors but it still retains a real sense of community. Like a big family.

If you could change one thing about the shop, what would it be?

We are really pleased with the shop, we just need it to be bigger!

What is your proudest moment?

My proudest moments are mostly from competitions; canoe slalom, windsurf wavesailing, rugby, tennis, dog agility, and the one I remember most fondly being leading Sheffield Uni to victory at the British university canoe slalom championships.

What three things couldn't you live without?

I couldn’t live without coffee, tv and family (inc dogs).

What is your favourite film?

I love so many films and my favourites change all the time, but Back to the Future and Erin Brockovich are right up there.

What piece of advice would you give to someone who is thinking about going self employed?

Don’t expect it to be easy and then go for it. You’ll be disappointed if you don’t try.

And finally, if you were a dog what breed of dog would you be?

I would love to be any dog living with a caring family who puts dogs first!

The Phil Brown 'blast from the past' photo gallery:

Some more wind surfing shots