(The Johnson Brothers Appliances facility on Azure Drive (inset) Wall Street Store | Photos courtesy of Johnson Brothers Appliances)
Back in 1950, when Vernon and Charcelene Johnson founded a home-products store as an extension of Vern’s general contracting business, Deschutes County had less than 22,000 residents, the Shevlin-Hixon mill was closing and the Redmond Airport terminal was just opening. Life in Central Oregon was mellow, and in 1957, the Johnsons leased an old roller rink located at the corner of NE 1st Street and Franklin Avenue to house their business, which they had named The Home Center Inc.
Over the years, their company came to specialize in home appliances, and in 1970, Vern purchased a lot just north of the courthouse on Wall Street and constructed a building in which to operate The Home Center. As the years progressed, so did the Johnson’s business. In 1978, the Wall Street building got an addition; in 1980, The Home Center became Johnson Brothers TV and Appliance; and in 1985, a second location was opened in The Bend Plaza. The second facility closed in 1986, but in 1993, another satellite operation opened in leased space on North Highway 97 (currently Bend Color Tile). In 1996, a building at 571B NE Azure was leased and remodeled to become the Johnson Brothers retail location, and the Wall Street location was retained for storage and as an outlet store.
In 2000, the Johnson’s business continued to grow, and additional family members came on board. Their son, Bob, became general manager, and his daughter, Charcie, oversaw accounting functions and human resources. Bob’s wife, Marsha, headed up the advertising and marketing departments, and long-time employees Tammie Reid and Darren Hess rounded out the management team at that time. Unfortunately, the Johnson family, their staff and many of their business associates suffered a deep loss with Bob’s untimely death in October of 2015, and not long after, Bob’s sons Dave and Brian left their careers, moved back to Bend and assumed daily management of the company. Charcie and Marsha continued with many behind-the-scenes functions, and later in 2015, the business received another name change, this time to Johnson Brothers Appliances. In 2016, Charcie and Marsha purchased the Azure Avenue building, and in 2018, a ribbon cutting celebrated the opening of a new showroom, and operations were consolidated when the warehouse was relocated to the north end of the building.
“I was in the Air Force for 20 years, which is a big bureaucracy,” says Dave Johnson, president of today’s Johnson Brothers Appliances. “I am really enjoying the challenge of small business, the agility and adaptability of it. Working with family is great; there is an infrastructure you can rely on and trust in any time challenges arise.” He says that the Johnson Brothers Appliances board of directors has a diverse experience background, which has helped he and his family navigate the challenges of small business. “We have experts in finance, accounting, leadership, mechanical, advertising and more. That has helped us build an effective team.” Currently, he serves as president, Brian is vice president, Charcie is secretary and Marsha is treasurer.
Johnson says he has fond memories of the early days of his family’s business. “Going back, my brother and I were in high school and were out doing local deliveries in a 1969 Ford cabover delivery truck. After school and during summers, we worked full time for dad and grandpa.”
Since 2018, Johnson Brothers Appliances — which offers a wide variety of appliances, mattresses, grills and more — has continued to expand: The number of employees has increased, more delivery trucks have been added to the fleet and a service department has been created. “We continued to grow and expand even through COVID,” Johnson says. “Our industry in general has seen a bit of an uptick in demand. There are lots of people moving here, so that has driven demand up even further in our area. We expand our product offerings as the demand in our area changes; lately, we’ve seen growth in outdoor kitchens and heating.” During the pandemic, Johnson says they have been able to retain all their employees, and the company has streamlined and optimized logistics in receiving, storing and delivering freight.
The greatest challenge Johnson Brothers Appliances has faced over the years, he says, is that the business is a small company in a small town. “Some of our competition is massive corporations; the challenge for us is to remain effective,” he says. “I think we’ve been able to do that; we expanded our showroom, and it’s one of the most up-to-date and innovative showrooms in the Northwest.”
Going forward, Johnson says his family’s goal is to continue to provide personalized small-town service while expanding to meet the demands of a growing area. “We love our community; this is our 71st year. We are excited about the future and look forward to serving our community and meeting their needs.”
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