Leah Curley

Some people are fortunate enough to earn their living doing what they love. Cam and Helen Brown did one better, building their passions into a successful business, now in the hands of the next generation. 

The Brown family, from left to right : Cam, Helen, Greg, Jessica and Amy 

“We bought the building at the top of England Hill on August 15, 1983, and opened two weeks later,” says Cam Brown, an avid antique dealer. “We couldn’t afford to have it just sit there.” Helen decided the new store should also reflect her love for Christmas treasures. With baubles, candles, tableware – not to mention the famous (infamous?) fudge counter – it was the holidays year-round at Camlen, making it a must-see destination in Knowlton. And it still is. Because Camlen has been evolving and refreshing its offering ever since. 

Evolution starts early. Cam and Helen had done a brisk antique business in Montreal, selling old Quebec pine and pieces shipped over from England. But not long after the Knowlton opening, the supply of Quebec product began to dry up. Cam searched farther afield and soon containers were arriving from Latvia, Russia and China. Meanwhile, the Browns began crafting reclaimed wood into items like armoires deep enough to house the chunky TVs of the day, and sturdy bookshelves. 

Where’s the fudge? But it was the Browns’ son Greg who really instigated the move into furniture making. Daughter Amy began managing production, while her husband and fellow shareholder, Simon Laplume, made it all tick with his machine and technical expertise.  In 2003 the family opened the Camlen factory on Victoria. Soon Camlen was a full-service wood furnishings enterprise. Solid wood furniture, cabinetry and more, was beautifully styled and quality crafted, every piece customizable. “We keep stock ready to complete, according to the customer’s preference, like colour and finish,” Greg explains. 

Christmas ornaments disappeared. Sadly, so did the fudge. But the store still carried a wide array of giftware and décor items. And more was to come. Because Greg was carefully building partnerships with other quality makers, expanding Camlen’s offering to include customizable upholstered furniture, bench-made in Ontario, and mattresses made locally. Now, with new partners and suppliers, there are beautiful bed linens, floor and window coverings, lighting accessories, quartz countertops… and an in-house designer to help you sort through it all. 

It’s more than the store. Today’s Camlen is one of the region’s premier home décor resources. And it’s not just for homeowners. Camlen has been involved in commercial work since they began making furniture. They also sell retail throughout Canada and in the USA. “Our retailers have been very loyal,” Greg says. In fact, the vast majority of Camlen’s clients have been long term, something that speaks to the quality of the product, the service and the relationship. 

“Proudly built for you to proudly own.” Greg is now president of Camlen and sister Amy is chief of operations, having bought their parents out of the business two years ago. Sister Jessica, a local real estate agent, also contributes by referring clients. (All the better if they buy local.) The larger Camlen “family” includes 20 employees, four of them carpenters, as well as four subcontractors. “Our employees are the reason for our success,” says Amy. “Several of them have been with us for more than 20 years.”

“We have been fortunate to work on many great projects, some large, some small,” Greg continues. But they take pride in them all, as they do in every piece that comes out of Camlen.