Even at age 70, Johnson’s Appliances & Bedding in Ocean City shows little sign of slowing down.
Johnson’s has served Ocean City since 1945, when a World War II veteran came home to open up his own shop on Asbury Avenue.
In an era of consolidation, chains and box stores, Johnson’s is somewhat an anomaly. The independent family business recently welcomed its fourth generation.
State Assemblyman Samuel L. Fiocchi on Wednesday presented a proclamation from the state Legislature to owner Don Johnson, and his son Brett Johnson, honoring Johnson’s Appliances on its 70th anniversary. The store also has a North Wildwood location.
Don Johnson said the key to survival and success has been the business’s ability to adapt to fit the times. But he said one thing has never changed: “You have to give an honest deal and an honest price and do what you say you’re going to do.”
An electrician by trade, Samuel Johnson came home from World War II in Europe to start an electrical contracting business at 917 Asbury Avenue with his brother, Irvin.
At the time, electricians serviced most appliances, and by 1951, the brothers had moved into the appliance business. They also employed their father, Irvin Johnson.
“We became a franchise GE appliance dealer and moved down the street to 944 Asbury Avenue, which gave us the additional space that we needed,” Johnson said. “We strictly carried GE appliances. Back then, you had to choose which manufacturers you carried. It was like being a car dealership for a certain brand. We didn’t diversify until 1972 when the market changed and allowed us to carry multiple brands.”
Johnson joined his father full-time in the business in 1971, and the operation moved to its present location at 930 Asbury Ave. in Ocean City, N.J.
“At the time I started, there were nine stores selling appliances in Ocean City,” he said.
Johnson’s added bedding after the Stainton’s department store closed in the early 199os.
He said Ocean City has experienced a boom period in every decade, and he’s tried to mold the business to fit new trends and needs.
“We belong to a cooperative that keeps $11 million worth of inventory, which gives us easy access to whatever we need,” he said.
The access to stock proved to be essential during Superstorm Sandy.
“The hurricane was truly a family affair,” he said. “The whole family came in to help clean up and salvage what we could. We were in at 5 a.m. and doing business by 11 a.m. We were out and delivering the next day.”
The cleanup took a lot longer than that of course. The Johnsons had to replace the carpeting in the Wildwood location, which had 1.5 feet of water. But it wasn’t the first storm the business had weathered. Don remembers the storm of 1962. He was eight at the time, and called upon to come in and help clean up in Ocean City.
“It’s what families do,” he said. “In our case, we’re not only accountable to our family to keep the business going, but to our customers who were in real need during these challenging times.”
“It’s been a labor of love,” said Johnson, who never worked anywhere else.
Perhaps the greatest testament to the longevity of Johnson’s is the introduction of a fourth generation to the business.
Brett Johnson is back in town after recently graduating from the University of Oregon, where he was a standout middle-distance runner.
“I’m a beach kid through and through,” he said.
In honor of its 70th anniversary, Johnson’s will be holding a contest to win a four-piece kitchen suite. Visit either Johnson’s location for contest details. Johnson’s Appliances & Bedding is located at 930 Asbury Ave., Ocean City, N.J. and at 2510 New York Ave., North Wildwood, N.J. For more information, visit http://www.johnsonsappliances.
