Hometown: Springfield, Mo.
Family: Wife, Joanne; sons Allen (22) and Cole (18)
In Town: Paul opened Scenic Dry Cleaning in 1989 with locations in Springfield and Buffalo, Mo.
“I was just tried of going to school,” Paul said with a laugh. “Dry cleaning was really a lucrative business at that time.”
As the need for dry cleaning began to fade, Paul added men’s formal wear and suit rentals, thus creating Paul Phillips Formal Ware.
“We saw that as an opportunity because overhead was low,” he said. “I was in the rental property business and had some duplexes, so I sold those and bought a bunch of suits to rent out.”
A limousine service is also available for up to 20 people.
Paul’s wife of 25 years, Joanne, is a music teacher at Hickory Hills Middle School in Springfield, Mo.
In the Country: Paul grew up around Missouri Fox Trotters and began showing horses at the age of 8. His parents, Frankie and Paula Phillips, of Buffalo, have been showing and breeding Missouri Fox Trotters for decades.
“Once you are in it, you just can’t get away from it,” Paul said with a grin. “I’m currently showing a fourth-generation mare. My folks had her great-great-grandma and she was raised right there on the farm.”
Paul said they typically participate in about six shows a year.
Recently, Paul branched out a little from the family tradition and got into the cattle business.
“We’ve just always had animals around and I really love the cattle business,” he said.
About four years ago, Paul purchased a group of older, bred Brangus cows and began building his cattle herd.
“I calved them out and I’m keeping all of the heifers back,” he explained. “I just really like how the Brangus take the heat better, have small calves that really grow well, put on weight faster and hold their weight.”
He currently has about 28 momma cows and 14 calves in his commercial herd, and utilizes natural cover for his breeding program.
Paul runs his cattle on his parents’ farm in Dallas County, Mo., and he owns an additional 30 acres that is used for hay. He would like to keep building his cowherd over the next few years.
“I’ll like to get my boys out of college, maybe buy some more land and just have more cows,” Paul.
While his business keeps him busy, Paul is always anxious to get back to the farm.
“The cows are always happy to see you and come running when they see that feed bucket. It’s just very peaceful and quite,” he said.
