Since he was 14, Phil Hogg has dreamt of owning his own second-hand shop. Now, with its floor crammed with small mountains of ornamentals, salvaged bedframes and a vintage electric fan, his dream has materialised in the form of The Furniture Den.

Phil and his wife Na Sok opened their second-hand store earlier this month and are providing Siem Reap residents with a place to unload what’s not wanted and load up with what is.

“The idea is something I’ve had since my teenage years. I have always loved second-hand shops and dreamed of having one since I was around 14 years old,” Phil said.

“We buy furniture from hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and people who are looking to sell furniture in bulk or quickly.”

“Our customers who buy from us can expect some real bargains. We expect to be able to buy cheap furniture and then sell it back cheap to our customers.”

The Furniture Den, not far down the road from BBU Education Centre, has been well received by Siem Reap folk so far. Local bargain hunter Lidia found herself frequenting the shop in her efforts to refurnish her new home.

“I think it’s a great idea. The things can be reused and they don’t become rubbish, and also you get a good price,” she said.

“It’s good not only for the expats but for the locals, it’s a way to recycle. When people decide they don’t need something, other people can re-use them.”

The Den recently scored big when it received truckloads of furniture from the former five-star Hotel De La Paix, now managed and rebranded by the Park Hyatt.

“We expect to have another hotel consignment in March which customers have to look forward too,” Phil told the Insider.

Hogg, who also owns Siem Reap Rooms Guesthouse, has lived in Cambodia since 2003.