Meet Brett Hill.  Humble, yet full of ambition and knows how to surround himself with the right people.  He’s a true family man – who loves his family so much that he’s in business with them!  Together they have created a special boutique and gathering place in Lafayette that has grown immensely in popularity.

You’re doing wonderful things Brett, and the community is excited to see what’s coming next from your family!

 

Questions:

Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?

A: Due South and Brew are headed up by my mother-in-law (Noel), my wife (Dennae), and myself.  My mother-in-law came to us with the idea of opening up a boutique. At that time we were next door in the Lafayette Flea Market and kicking butt.   I was currently in the military and I was working in Furniture Row building sets and furniture for their commercials and magazines.  So, I had two other solid jobs with really good benefits.  I ended up leaving both to come work here and develop something that I thought was better, not only for the community, but also for us as a family.  I literally work with the most important women in my life. It is unique and since I also grew up with 3 sisters, I’ve really spent a lot of time with women. So, it just fit.  I always worked with my hands.  I grew up building custom homes with my dad, and I feel like that’s translated into what I’m doing now. I’ve always been building – whether it’s furniture, homes, or sets, and now I am building a business. I look at it very similarly in that all the parts and pieces matter a lot.  When I am developing Brew or Due South and trying to get to the next level I think, “if I am missing the nails or the screws on the table then the legs will come out and the table will fall”. It’s the same concept that all those little parts matter and the people that are part of our team matter a lot!  We’re in the process of developing something that hopefully is long lasting and that won’t fall over because of something like COVID.

Q: What is the concept of audience figure reaching for Due South?

A: Due South is a boutique tailored more toward women. It’s more of my wife and my mother-in-law’s vision. It carries clothing, accessories, furniture, home decor… it’s about a lifestyle.  We even carry things like Annie Sloan’s DIY chalk paint.

Q: How long have you lived or worked in Louisville or Lafayette?

A: I was born and raised in Louisville and attended Peak to Peak Charter School.  I married Dennae, whose family lives right outside Lafayette, so all my life has been spent around this area.

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Louisville or Lafayette, and what do you love there?

A: There are so many good ones. The one I eat at the most is Taco Wagon, which is not a true restaurant, but they make the best breakfast burrito ever!  I also really like William Oliver’s – because they have the best bacon.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?

A: I probably would want go to Ireland where it’s all so green and lush.  I would have mentioned England, but Due South is putting on a 10 Day trip to England in 2021 for any of our customers that would like to go with us.  We can take up to 25 people and is being put together by Annie Sloan.  (For more information, click here.)

Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Louisville or Lafayette?

A: Bill is cool, he’s who started up the Lafayette Flea Market. He began with just wanting a photography studio, and slowly developed it into what it has become, which is a huge Flea Market.  It’s a very well known Flea Market and people all over the state come to visit it.

Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?

A: I don’t remember the first movie I saw in the theater, but my favorite movie is Inception. I like movies where you’re thinking through the whole thing and not able to make sense of it until the end, and then it comes together and you’re like, “Whoa! That was awesome!”

Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?

A: There’s more to life than what you can see and there’s genuine hope to come. Personally, I am talking about the eternal life, eternal foundation.

Q: What is something on your bucket list?

A: To visit every single major baseball stadium in the U.S.  I think that baseball is so nostalgic.  I would want to attend when the Rockies were playing and cheer for them as they play in all the stadiums!

Q: What is your favorite music/ 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?

A: There’s a guy named Avriel Kaplan, he was the bass singer of Pentatonix before he went off on his own. His voice is super deep and it’s really good. I think it would be fun to go back and see some of the greats like Michael Jackson, even though I’m really not in love with his music, but he created such an iconic genre and brand; same with Elvis Presley.

Q: What current / former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Louisville or Lafayette?

A: The Lafayette Flea Market and Morrell Printing, both have been around for a long time.

Q: Choosing anyone alive with whom would you love to have lunch? Why and where would you have lunch?

A: I am reading a book called “Rise and Grind” by Daymond John (from Shark Tank). He is a great entrepreneur and has overcome obstacles like dyslexia.  He talks about putting the right people around him, and I want to learn that from him and what it really looks like, what he looks for in people.

I believe my wife and my mother-in-law are the right people around me and hopefully they feel the same about me.  It’s also now about how do we build that team around us and how do we develop and overcome certain things.

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Louisville or Lafayette?

A: Colorado is amazing. Every single sunset is stunning and the mountains are breathtaking. Louisville always had that sense of being a tight community.  At first I really didn’t appreciate Lafayette, but it is a very artistic location. There’s a lot of unique stuff going on here that might be kinda weird to some, but at the same time that is what makes us different.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

A: I have a lot of development to go, but I would like to be doing some public speaking arrangements on how to develop a business and how to get it up and going from ground zero. I would like our business to be at a place of really thriving and inspiring people.

Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?

A:  Most people don’t know that I was in the military for 7 years. It was great camaraderie and honestly that’s what transitioned me from this high school boy to someone ready to do something in the world.

Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?

A: Family, Comfort, and Sports. My wife will kill me for that last one! I also think about my puppies, I have a boxer and a golden retriever.

Q: If you were cast into a major motion picture and had your choice of anyone to be your co-star, who would you choose?

A: Denzel Washington – he’s one of my favorite actors, so I think he would be a good one.

Q: If you had a full time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose? Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?

A: I think it would be awesome to have a Manager for Due South, someone who can just tackle all of our emails, social media, marketing and digital advertising. It would be great too, if we have a delivery service available.  Maybe that’s part of the 10 year plan.

Q: Will there be anything you would like to improve or add something in the community of Louisville or Lafayette?

A: We need an axe throwing location!