STORY BY MAHMOOD FAZAL, PHOTOS BY CHRIS TURNER

Cellarbrations at Foxxy’s Daylesford store is much more than your average liquor store, it’s the door to the offerings of regional Victoria.

“I'm a country boy born and bred. If I wasn’t working with liquor, I think I would have done something on the land. I love water and I love rivers. I’m actually from Lake Eppalock,” explains store owner, Matt. In 2007, he opened Cellarbrations in a former newsagency.

“We've got a pretty strong tourist focus but we try to accommodate the locals and the tourists alike. Obviously, we try to support the local suppliers as much as we can, first and foremost. Some of those guys have been doing it really tough.”

Matt earned his stripes in the retail liquor world in and around Bendigo. He says, ”after that, I went to Melbourne did my gig in hospitality running a drive-thru bottle shop then moving inside as a general manager in a number of hotels around Richmond. Then I moved into wholesale. So, I’ve had a foot in all three camps, hospitality, wholesale and retail.”

Some of Matt’s staff have stood by his side for over ten years. When asked what inspired him to build a career in the industry, he is quick to respond, “It’s all about the camaraderie in this industry. Being in Richmond, you see all walks of life in close proximity to sporting venues and so forth. It wasn't always a pleasant time, but it was more good than bad. You often see good people turn into different people. But being in hospitality, the people you work with are what makes it count.”

While on the road as a sales rep, Matt’s aggressive tenacity won him the nickname Foxxy. “Guys used to call me on the road and go, ‘you just give him a bone and he won't let go’. I'm short stature and I look like a little fox - bit goey I suppose and full of life,” quips Matt. “Had that nickname in my footy days too, I was like a fox terrier on the footy ground.”

When an opportunity presented itself in Daylesford, Matt seized it. “What I enjoy most about Daylesford is the local people, everyone’s in a good mood. Even the tourists because when you're on holiday - you're in a good mood. People who are in a good mood, it rubs off on other people.”

Matt makes it his mission to cater to the quirky requests of the locals, while celebrating everything the region has to offer for the tourists.

On his favourite beer, he asserts, “The Daylesford Brewing company. The tourists love it. Dave’s a local lad. I just think the Pale Ale is just such an easy drinking style, it’s not like a big IPA but I think it appeals to most people.”

But it’s the wine selection that has everyone coming back. “In terms of wineries, we’re really blessed. I cast my net wide when I say local. We’re at the foothills of the Macedon Ranges, we’ve got the Pyrenees, Ballarat, Grampians, Bendigo region, Harcourt and Heathcote. We have some fantastic vineyards on our doorstep, like the guys at Passing Clouds who make really great wines.”

For Matt, it's the personal encounters that make his work worthwhile. Seeing people happy so that their “good mood” continues to bubble throughout the community.

“There’s something about the way of life here. We’re really blessed. It's a beautiful area. And, we've got a breadth of cafes we can visit and there's so much beautiful food and beautiful wineries to visit. I just want to keep that alive.”

Cellarbrations at Foxxy's Daylesford

5348 3577

www.cellarbrations.com.au

55 Vincent St, Daylesford