Interview: Sarah Thornely (Supjunkie)
Photos: Supjunkie, Brian Johncey, Dave White
I spoke to Brian Johncey to gain an insight into his life and times on the
water – May 2019 marked a pretty important anniversary for Blue Chip ...
An interview with…
Brian
Johncey
How on earth did you end up in Cheam with a windsurfing shop?
That is where I have always lived, man and boy, from doing a Saturday milk round as a school kid
to a shop owner. My career developed from working my way up from a printing machine operator
to the marketing director in the printing industry, whilst also being a volunteer leader at a local
youth activity centre. Then windsurfing came into sharp focus when one of my printing
customers told me how much they enjoyed windsurfing and suggested I took a lesson at Princes
water-ski club.
I completed the lesson and I was smitten. That gave me the impetus to start my own windsurfing
club. I used my business contacts to find a disused gravel extraction lake in Kent along with my
experience of helping to run a youth activities club. I started the club, which ran on weekends
only, as I already had a full time job in print. Then the printing company was sold and that gave
me the push to go full time with teaching windsurfing and running the club at the lake. Soon after
that, the right property (a store with workshop) became available on the high street in North
Cheam, this soon became Blue Chip HQ and the rest is history.
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