Meet Gary Mowlem the incredibly driven founder behind Mowlem and Co. The embodiment of the brand’s ethos, Gary has been able to turn his design obsession into not just a career but a hugely successful business, one he is incredibly proud of and rightly so. We asked him a few questions.
To the outside world, Mowlem is such a distinct company, but do you personally have a defined philosophy?
Yes, absolutely and I think it’s a core reason that we’ve been able to thrive and grow. My philosophy has always been a focus on craftsmanship, so that comes down to our people. Craftspeople who really do make the most unbelievable pieces, completely unrivalled in their field. And because of the nature of how our Mowlem spaces are made, what our designers create is not just furniture, it’s a complete lifestyle. We have always taken a huge amount of time to completely understand our customers and because everything is bespoke, rare in our industry, I can honestly say our customer service is second to none and our Mowlem and Co. team are the best, I am very proud of all of them.
Let’s go back in time a bit. When did you first think of design as something that you could do, and turn into a company?
I’d always fancied working for myself and after doing my time with several other companies over the years, gaining lots of very worthwhile experience and really trying to understand the craft and the process, I started to realise I had what it took to run my own business. It was a daunting thought at first but as my confidence grew and my ideas realised, it soon became apparent it was something I felt very passionate about.
When and how did Mowlem and Co first begin?
I can’t quite believe it’s been this long, but the business started about 34 years ago, humble beginnings, working from my spare bedroom with just a phone and a drawing board, no computers back then. However very quickly it started to do well, and after a year as things consistently got better, I rented a small shop in Jesmond in Newcastle upon Tyne to show off my Kitchen designs. My clients list grew and my enjoyment of running my own business also, I loved realising people dream spaces and I really felt we were offering a unique service with a completely bespoke experience.
How has the business evolved over the years and what are you most proud of?
We’ve certainly grown! We now have two showrooms one in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne and the other on the Kings Road in London, and one of my proudest achievements has always been our dedicated Mowlem factory, located in Blyth. The factory has the most incredible machinery and equally incredible craftspeople who excel at what they do.
Choice of materials, appliances etc was also rather limited back when I started, whereas now we are inundated with incredible choices, and our designers are constantly keeping up to date with all the available different design features. Our clients want the best and we need to be able to show them what that is, give them all the inspiration they need and design a space they could only imagine. We are all very passionate about our various fields and that is ultimately evident in what we produce.
What has been your most memorable project and why?
Goodness I couldn’t quite possibly choose one project there’s been so many! However what I can say is that I am incredibly proud of the fact that I have clients who I designed a kitchen space for 20 years ago and who come back for either an update or because their children want a Mowlem design, the fact they have gained such joy from our designs and they have come back, that speaks volumes to me and at the end of the day we are creating beautiful spaces made to last.
Any exciting projects or developments coming up for Mowlem and Co. in the next year you can share with us?
I couldn’t possibly say! But we do have some wonderful new projects coming up at home and abroad, keep posted, we love sharing our projects on completion and we’ve been so thankful to our wonderful clients who share their journey with us all. We also have new team members joining us in both showrooms and the factory, and also the potential for growth in a new area has been made apparent, which I am happily pursuing.
What are your future goals and plans for both you and the company?
I have been asked a few times about retirement, my love of golf is well known, but I genuinely love what I do, and I can’t see a time where I don’t have an input into something I have grown and still gain such enjoyment from. I still very much keep an eye on the business and especially the people who work for me, they are all excellent at what they do and have that attention to detail I always look for, but I do feel it’s important I am still on hand. My team are the future of the business, and I could potentially see letting the next generation push Mowlem forward. Not full time on the golf course quite yet though.
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