Johnnie's Appliances Celebrates a Grand Opening and a Homecoming

A new appliance store can mean another place to shop for a refrigerator. For the family behind Johnnie's Appliances, opening on Pacific Coast Highway also means coming back to a community they know.

“Born and raised in Long Beach, we grew up on the west side of Long Beach,” the owner said during an interview at the store's Nov. 7 grand-opening celebration. “We wanted to come back and give back to the community because we have so many friends and family.”

The second store builds on a business that began in 1971. The family's connection started on the repair side, long before they took over the company.

His father worked as a technician for the original owner. When that owner died, the family wanted the technician to take over, the son explained. Father and son stepped into ownership in 2014, keeping the familiar name.

At the time, there were only two or three people working in the business. Today, he said, Johnnie's has two stores and 27 employees.

Expanding beyond the home store in Downey was a significant step. Choosing the Long Beach area gave the family a chance to build on relationships already there.

“We thought no better place than to come back to Long Beach and do that since we do so much business in the city of Long Beach,” he said.

That community connection also shows up in how the company brings people into the business. One employee arrived as a student through a Downey program. The initial idea was to give him a couple of months to see how things went.

Three or four years later, he had worked his way from moving and unboxing appliances to assistant warehouse manager.

Most positions involve on-the-job training, the owner said. With a young crew and a need to bring younger workers into the appliance business, teaching people how to do the work is part of building the company.

For someone starting out, that can mean a chance to learn practical skills and take on more responsibility, not simply a short-term job moving boxes.

“A Lot of People Think That We Can’t Be Competitive With the Home Depot”

His pitch is about more than getting an appliance out the door. It is also about having someone to turn to afterward when that appliance needs attention.

He is also quick to push back on the idea that a local store can’t keep up with a national chain.

“So a lot of people think that we can’t be competitive with The Home Depot because they’re so big, which, in fact, is not true at all,” he said. “We can actually match or even beat their pricing.”

He pointed to repair support after the sale as another reason to choose Johnnie’s. The business combines appliance sales with repairs, serving residential and commercial customers.

He said four full-time technicians handle repairs, and the store carries major brands including Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, LG, Speed Queen, GE, Samsung and Frigidaire.

That work extends to property-management customers and services such as dryer-vent cleaning. He also described work for the Los Angeles Fire Department and Disneyland, including appliances and dryer-vent cleaning at Disneyland hotel properties.

Appliances tend to stay in the background until something goes wrong. Then, a refrigerator full of food or a washer that will not run can quickly become the center of the day.

Closer to home, the approach is rooted in repeat business and recommendations passed between families. He described generations of customers returning to the store for repairs and replacements.

The holiday season brings its own reminders of how much households depend on working equipment. As families prepare to welcome guests, he said, customers begin checking stoves, ranges and ovens to make sure everything is ready.

Keeping those appliances running means helping keep the gathering on track, too.

Growing the business, staying connected

A third store is under consideration, but it is not a settled plan. The owner said the family is weighing further growth against what it still wants to accomplish at the second location, where there is room to do more.

For now, another part of the future is getting out into the community. He said the sales team has discussed participating more in Chamber activities and local meetings through the rest of the year and into next year.

For a family returning to familiar ground, the next chapter is not only about how many appliances it sells. It is about giving neighbors a reason to remember who to call.

“You may not need us today, but you may need us tomorrow,” the owner said.

Visit or contact Johnnie's Appliances

3301 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Signal Hill, serving the Long Beach area
Phone: 866-321-2033
Website: https://www.johnniesappliances.com/