by Gary Blesson
•
27 Jun, 2021
The first part of this year I was not able to return home to Portugal after visiting friends, due to the pandemic and there being no flights. However, I was fortunate to spend some time in Essex, Westcliff on Sea, which is an unknown area to me. It's always exciting to discover somewhere new and,yes, of course, I had my bike with me so I was itching to explore this new territory on my bike. However, as took my bike out of the bike bag I discovered that I had a headset spacer missing, which meant I couldn’t ride my bike! So, out the door I rushed, on a quest to find a bike shop. 10 minutes up the road in the next town, Leigh on Sea, I came across this unassuming little boutique cycle shop called James Browning & Daughter. At first the shop looked nothing special, but then I looked through the window and couldn’t believe the gems laid before my eyes. Nalini, for starters, one brand I haven’t seen since the 90s! On with my mask, in I went in feeling like a child going into a sweetshop. The shop is traditional, with loads of charm and character, like stepping back in time. It has that lovely old-style feeling where you can explore the shop, feasting your eyes on your surroundings, discovering more as you browse the racks of clothing, just taking your time to find what you want. The quality and range of kit, from clothes to helmets, shoes and more makes it so easy to get carried away. I received a warm welcome from Trisha, the owner (and daughter of James Browning). I crossed my fingers and asked the question, does she have a carbon spacer? Still scanning the shop with excitement, an array of top end funky kit on the rails reminding me of some of the old Italian cycle shops I'd visited on my travels, a place with history and years of experience you could just feel it. Trisha reached under the counter and – hey presto! – a spacer! High quality, just what I needed. I peeped round the corner and there was also a workshop and a few bikes, including the Italian brand Cinell. I chatted with Trish, telling her a about Delucci Retreat and my situation and also how I loved the shop and that I would love to write about this hidden gem in Essex. So, after a few more visits and a few more purchases (I had to get more cycle kit as didn’t think I'd be in the UK for as long as I was and the winter there was harsh), this gave me the chance to find out if the Nalini kit is as high quality as it was back in the day, and the answer is yes, it's totally up to date with the rest of the brands out there, if not better, and with a great range of colours and designs for women and men. Oh yes, not forgetting, there is also a bargain basket with some serious bargains to be had. If you want something different and don’t want to pull up outside a café and see someone wearing the same kit as you then Browning’s is the place to go. It's definitely one of those shops where you pass the shop window on an evening, check out the display of kit and want rush back there as soon as it opens the next morning. Trisha regularly updates the window display to tempt us in. More about Trisha and her shop in her own words, here are a few questions I asked whilst I was there… 1. So, Trisha, when did you first open? We opened in the 1930s as James Browning. 2. What inspired your father to open the shop? He opened due to cycling being one of the most used form of transport especially after the first and second world wars. 3. What Brand of cycles did you choose for your shop? I love the Cinelli brand, it fits the profile of the shop perfectly, running alongside my Italian brands. 4. How long have you been a stockist of Nalini? I have been a stockiest of NALINI for 10 years and nearly a year as a sole importer. 5. What other brands do you have in the shop? NORTHWAVE SHOES - SH+SHADES - & HELMETS – ENDURA - SCHWALBE - CONTINENTAL TYRES – ZEFAL - ENERVIT. 6. How would you describe your shop? An independent bicycle shop providing repairs and servicing, also specialising in clothing, shoes and helmets, all being of high quality and affordable and we pride ourselves with a top quality service. 7. Do you have a mostly a regular customer base? 85% are regular customers, but we are getting more new customers due to customers discovering cycling during lockdown. 8. What made you decide to go with Italian Brands, have you always mainly used Italian Brands? The superb quality of materials, unrivalled design, always stunning style, colour combinations used with imaginative attention to detail. 9. Why do you think people return to your shop on a regular basis? I would like to think my customers return regularly, as I pay attention to each person’s individual needs, supplying that important personal service, which for me is key. 10. Do you still ride a bike yourself? Yes, I always have done, since the age of 3, even cycling when I was pregnant. I just love riding my bike. 11. What hobbies do you have outside of the world of cycling? I love dancing, music, travel, photography and good food!! 12. Who works in the bike servicing part of the shop? I service the bikes in the workshop myself, with more than 40 years’ experience. 13. So, what's the story behind the name of the shop? I had worked with my dad since 1972. In 1979, on having the shop front repainted, dad asked the sign-writer to add "& Daughter". At the end of the day I stood outside to see the sign read as "JAMES BROWNING". Dad called the guy to come back the next day and, on asking why he had not added "& Daughter" as asked, he replied "I thought you were joking!!!" My dad's words can't be repeated, other than to say "you can see she a girl and she is my daughter!!!" and the rest is history. Thank you so much Flash, I actually really enjoyed talking about my wonderful shop Trisha……. Well, I hope you like this insight into this amazing shop. These kind of shops are one-in-a-million and a lot of us out there crave for these old-school type shops which are slowly disappearing as times change. We must treasure them and keep them alive!! Trisha's shop doesn’t have a website or mail order. You have to go to the shop or make a phone call. All her advertising goes on Facebook where you can message her and she is happy to answer any questions. She is always posting updates of her products on Facebook. Is this a bad thing? To be honest, it's quite refreshing. There is nothing like rummaging through an Aladdin’s cave of loveliness. I will be putting James Browning & Daughter on the Delucci website partners' page. Do yourself a favour and take a day out to Leigh on Sea and visit Trish's shop. You won't regret it! Browning & Daughter Cycles (Facebook) 716-718 London Road, Leigh on Sea, SS9 3NL TEL: 07913798731
