Jonathan Holmes,Bristol and
Liam McGuinn,in Nailsea
BBCThe owner of a town’s oldest shop is celebrating his 100th birthday.
John Brown, owner of John Brown Hardware, built and then opened his shop in Nailsea, North Somerset, in September 1957 with his father.
Mr Brown regularly worked in the shop until the age of 98, and still oversees the business. He said he still felt like a “youngster at heart” and was “proud and honoured” to reach the milestone of 100 years.
The centenarian said the shop was his “little baby” and he opened it as he was “interested in people”.
“If I could help people I did, and if they couldn’t pay upfront, I said ‘come back next week’,” he added.
Mr Brown’s shop sells a variety of hardware items, bathroom fixtures, ironmongery, homeware and decorative items.
When the business opened, Mr Brown’s wife Alice was working at the Hales Cakes factory in nearby Clevedon, before she gave that job up as the shop became so busy.
Mr Brown’s daughter, Maggie Alice, said: “I had a wonderful playground when I was young here, as they were still building the shops down the road.”
She said she was very proud of her father, who had given his life to the community.
“If our stock is not here, he will go and get it for the customer.
“Staff, stock, and service – just those three words sum it up really,” she added.
