Meet the Team

Meet the PHO Team

Jimmy McMillan began his interest in fermentation and the natural transformation of food early in his childhood by seeing the magic of bread baking. At the age of 13, he took his first job at a restaurant and continued his food passion for 10 years, moving from NC to Philadelphia to work as Sous Chef at the soon to open Davio's in Center City. Eventually Jimmy stepped away from the long hours and low pay of working in professional kitchens, and started working in IT, as his second passion was in technology.

Shortly after entering the tech world, Jimmy wanted to continue his food and fermentation passion, so he turned to the world of homebrewing his own beer. A number of years go by, and homebrewing shaped his personal relationships and community involvement, eventually leading him and Nick Less to purchase a preexisting homebrew store.

Jimmy is an Alumni of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program, as well as a member of the Philadelphia Sustainable Business Network, Merchants Fund family member, and has successfully obtained a number of grants in the Philadelphia region.

Nick Less first became aware of fermentation at a around the age of 10 when his dad used to brew beer in his kitchen. He remembers his Dad and Sister working hard on a school science project "Yeast and Fermentation in Beer Brewing". It wasn't until he was 26 when he passed by Barry's Homebrew Outlet in South Philadelphia that he decided to give it a go. He bought his fist brewing kit from Barry Mulherin and was immediately hooked!

Over the next couple years Nick became very good friends with Barry and started brewing at the store weekly. During this time we would have a monthly get together called SPAM (South Philly Ale Makers) where Nick Meet his current business partner Jimmy McMillan. In 2011 Jimmy and Nick bought Barry's Homebrew Outlet which was renamed Philly Homebrew Outlet in 2013.

In 2014 Nick took his skills learned in the Micromatic Draft Training course and opened Philly Tap Services with Jimmy. He has since then worked on many installations and cleaning around the Philadelphia area.

With his passion for brewing as well as motorcycles Nick took a trip across the country on his 1977 Triumph Bonneville, with his at the time roommate Ryan Scheswhol, to interview brewers for there documentary "Road Rash, Saddle Ass and Beer Breath".

Anthony has been with PHO since the third location opened in Oaklyn New Jersey. When his wife told him there was going to be a store devoted to homebrewing close by, he decided to take his years of craft beer enthusiasm and retail management experience and combine them into something cool.

Aside from fermentation Anthony’s passions include music, cooking, art and being a dad. An avid extreme music fan he typically has something interesting playing over the stereo at the store while the smell of last night’s leftovers waft from the microwave in the back.

Jamie Adams is a draft tech that makes sure all the draft lines are squeeky clean.

Jamie is a riddle wrapped in an enigma.