Aberfeldy deli owner receives mystery award nomination

The owner of a deli in Aberfeldy says his children have gained great life skills from helping him out at a young age.

Steven Dow has been recognised for his 19 years in charge of Dows Deli with a mystery award nomination.

The Dunkeld Street outlet is on the Scottish area shortlist for the title of best village shop/post office at the Countryside Alliance Awards 2022/23.

Earning money at young age

Steven, who says he had no idea who put him forward for the award, employs daughter Ellie, 19, and son Mackenzie, 16.

The pair both helped him out at the deli from a young age and now work part-time there.

“It’s about life skills and earning your own money,” Steven said.

“As a young boy, if we didn’t work we didn’t have money. We did quite a bit of work when we were younger.

“These days kids have a bit more money and sometimes they don’t want to work.”

School work experience at the deli

Ellie did her school work experience at the deli and now works there alongside college commitments.

She is a dab hand at making tray bakes.

Mackenzie has been helping out since at least his early teens.

The shop sells more than just food. Image: Steven Dow.

“The two of them enjoy coming into the shop and meeting customers,” Steven said.

“It’s great for them to be meeting different folk.

“With the variety of folk that come into the shop and they converse with, it develops their life skills.”

Family steeped in local area

Steven has lived in Aberfeldy for all of his 48 years.

His grandad Jack Kellas owned a garage in Kenmore Street that is currently occupied by Cunningham Carpets.

Jack’s impact on the town is shown by the naming of nearby Kellas Court in his memory.

Steven’s late father Norman was a hairdresser who later worked in road repair.

His mother Pamela Maclean worked in the local laundry and then the Hardware Centre Pitlochry prior to retirement.

Bakery job aged 12

So Steven’s desire to become a baker did not come from his parents but his experiences growing up in the town.

Just as his own children started young, so did Steven.

Aged 12, he began working at the Breadalbane Bakery in Aberfeldy. Four years later he enrolled on a youth training course for chefs at Perth College.

He also gained nine years’ experience under the tutelage of his boss and chef Bert MacKay at Guinach House Hotel in the town.

His next role was making ready meals for Sally Murray at Lurgan Farmshop in Dull.

Diversified after new delis opened

Four years later, in 2003, he converted a former hair salon in Dunkeld Street into Dows Deli.

The building, which was once a hardware centre, has been Steven’s business home ever since.

Steven diversified the offering as new delis opened. Image: Steven Dow.

“We had a lot of food in it at the beginning but because other delis opened in the town we diversified,” he said.

“Now it looks like a kitchenware shop, with me doing all the cooking in the kitchen at the back.

“We have fresh scones, tablet, shortbread, cakes and I do ready meals that we sell to the public.”

Steven runs Dows with wife Tracey and together they also supply to Dewars Distillery, Highland Safaris, Abefeldy Water Mill and Birks Cinema.

Mystery over nomination

Dows is a recognisable part of the community that helps as well as serves.

It has supported the local football club, contributed to raffles and was involved with Feldy-Roo, which was set up as a food delivery service during the Covid lockdowns.

But modesty deters Steven from putting the shop forward for awards.

So the first he knew he was up for a Countryside Alliance accolade was when he was informed the shop was on a shortlist of four.

Modest Steven doesn’t enter his business for awards. Image: Steven Dow.

“I don’t know who put me forward,” he said.

“I do outside catering and used to do shooting parties so it might be something to do with that. I don’t know.

“Normally I wouldn’t bother doing anything like this but it was lovely for someone to put me forward because I have a lot of elderly customers who rely on me for food and I deliver it to them. It’s nice.”

Aberfeldy trumps all others

Steven has found no place on earth with a greater draw than what he already has in Aberfeldy.

“My wife has been pushing me many times to move to France or somewhere else but no, I love it in Aberfeldy.

“I love the camaraderie, the folk that live her – it’s just a lovely town.

“Yes, we need the tourists but It’s not a tourist town like Pitlochry.”

The town centre recently suffered a blow with the announced closure of traditional Scots clothing shop Doigs of Aberfeldy, which has been trading on Bank Street since 1983.

There was a big turnout at Aberfeldy Christmas Market last month. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson.

But Steven is optimistic for the future.

“We are actually looking good at the moment,” he said.

“Yes, we have lost Doigs but hopefully someone will take it on. It’s a beautiful big old shop.

“It’s going to be hard.

“The cost of everything is going to hurt everybody but hopefully we will all get through it again.

“We got through Covid so hopefully we can get through this.”

How to vote

The winners of the Countryside Alliance Awards are decided by a public vote, which you can do here.

Voting will close on Sunday, January 29. The winners will be announced at the Scottish Champions reception on Thursday, February 2 at Rooftops in the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.

The winners of the Scottish final will go on to represent Scotland at the House of Lords in the national champions’ reception in May.