STEVE Cloughley has had to fight from the very beginning to get his business off the ground – taking on some of Australia’s largest companies before he could open the doors to his first Cleanskin Cellars store in 2005. Mr Cloughley and his wife took their battle to the Supreme Court, where after many months and much expense, they were finally granted a specialist liquor licence – the first in the state. He says WA Cleanskin Cellars is Western Australia’s first specialist liquor store, and has now grown from one 37 square metre shop in Subiaco into three outlets and three additional franchises. In the process the business has won widespread praise, including being named the WA Business News Rising Star of 2010 as well as winning the ‘excellence in retailing and customer service’ award from the Subiaco Business Association in 2011. Between 2007 and 2010, WA Cleanskin Cellars launched its own fundraising division for not-for-profit organisations. For every bottle of wine sold, the company donated a percentage of the profits to charity. WA Cleanskin Cellars is also a sponsor of the Subiaco Junior Football Club and in 2010 was awarded the Stirling Business Association’s Community Spirit Award.
