It?s easy to miss. One of Phuket?s best-kept secrets lies halfway between the Chalong Circle and Phuket Town, on the corner of Soi Songkhun. The Fashion Caf? complex presents an oasis of good taste and all things sensible. The exterior is traditional caf? style with big glass windows, double swing doors and sports a large ?Perfections? sign on the roof. Inside, it?s a refreshing relief.

A cross between a high-quality caf? and your favourite aunt?s living room, it?s cosy and comfortable, completely different from anywhere else on Phuket. It has a style and cosy ambience all of its own and Dennis, the owner, is a real down-to-earth American. He has one of those warm voices that can relax tense muscles at a range of 10 metres. The comfortable sofas and armchairs are positioned near the library section where visitors are free to browse books from the intellectual and stimulating to easy reading. This is the kind of place where Gray?s Anatomy sits comfortably beside a guide to Cambodia. This is a place to just sit and chill, perhaps read a book while enjoying their excellent coffee (the latte to die for) or you can dine on one of their hamburgers, steaks or a succulent rack of lamb. The variety of food on offer is legendary, and caters for all tastes. This isn?t a place where you have to conform; kick back and be yourself.

But it?s more than just a caf?. At the back of the caf? you?ll find Perfection Spa Beauty Salon. ?Beauty? might as easily refer to the design of the place itself as to the product. But the product lives up to the five-star decor, which is elegant, flawlessly manicured in its detail. Tr?s chic, it emanates quality and confidence while remaining affordable. Aside from all the usual services of a local day spa, Perfection has quickly become the place to have waxing done among resident expat women.

But it?s more than just a caf? and a spa. Upstairs lies a purpose-built rehearsal room with mirrored walls and wooden floor, just like a traditional dance studio, where Pilates classes are on offer three times a week. The Andaman Players sometimes use the studio for rehearsing, as well.

In fact, what Dennis is developing here is a classy community centre ? a place for people to meet and relax. And he has plans for much, much more.

J. Dennis Cogan was Brooklyn born and raised. The son of a New York City policeman, he followed a career path typical for kids of that time, and ultimately found himself working for the infamous and future twice-failed presidential candidate Ross Perot at Electronic Data Systems (EDS) a company Perot founded in 1962. He became extremely successful in his career, and found himself able to choose his next move.

?Ross Perot only hired guys who worked hard but were straight down the line and had character,? he says. ?These were people you liked to be with. These people had no pretentions. They knew what life was about.?

Dennis looked after EDS?s Energy Division, responsible for customers in the oil, gas and electricity businesses. He hated the job. So much so, in fact, that he told the upper echelons that we was taking some time off, and then sailed his boat down to Mexico to clear his head. It was here that he received the telephone call that brought him to Asia. EDS wanted someone to go to Japan and oversee some business there. Cogan jumped at the chance and then spent 18 happy months living the good life in Japan. The chance then came to move to Bangkok and, even though he was still employed by EDS, work with SVOA, the Thai-owned IT company. He brokered the 50/50 joint venture with SVOA, and became their first managing director.

?I refused to work with the guy in charge at that time,? he says. ?I was 52 years of age, I was vested in EDS?s retirement programme, and I didn?t want to work anymore. I bought a boat that I moored in Singapore. I spent some time in Bangkok, but found myself spending more and more time on the boat. Eventually I moved the boat up to Phuket. My girlfriend at that time was a hairdresser, and we both loved Phuket, so we decided to go into business here. I designed and built the spa for her before before slowly developing the Fashion Caf? out front.?

At this time he was also building a boat for luxury cruises around Phuket, targeting the wealthier visitor. But things didn?t go according to plan. ?I opened in 2001 and, for a while, business growth looked good and steady. Then, in quick succession, along came SARS, bird flu and the 2004 tsunami. Trying to recover from these ate up most of my cash reserves. I had to sell my luxury yacht, and my house, to keep the business afloat.?

Never one to sit and mope, beyond promoting the business he wants to develop it even further. ?I have this plan? he says. ?I want this to be somewhere where ladies and their families can come and relax and have good food. Maybe bring the kids. We can lay on a chaperoned area upstairs where the kids can watch cartoons. Maybe we can run a fully supervised disco for 10- to 13-year-olds on a Friday night. I want it to be different.

I?d like to see a properly run Weight Watchers scheme, with part of the menu downstairs being given over to real Weight Watchers meals. I want low-impact aerobics and other keep-fit groups. I want a room where people can have meetings. I might even have belly dancing classes.?