In an Amazon and IKEA world, finding fine, real-wood furniture can be a trial. At James + James, the handcrafted furniture brand based in Springdale best known for custom, solid-wood dining tables and beds handmade by master carpenters in Arkansas, heirloom and custom furniture takes time, talent and tenacity.
HOW IT STARTED
Founded in 2011, James + James is an entrepreneurial story that tells the tale of finding one’s fortune in an unexpected place. Founder James Smith’s $40 investment skill saw has delivered a robust return on investment, and within a decade, James+James was in all 50 states, as well as six countries.
“It really is the quintessential entrepreneurial story,” said Jim Pike, CEO of James+James. “It was founded in James Smith’s garage in 2011. He and his business partner, James Eldridge, had previously worked for a marketing agency and found themselves unemployed. They bought a plan for a coffee table online and decided they could do as well or better in designing and creating pieces like it.
While neither were skilled carpenters, they were able to start generating an income by building and customizing tables and selling them on Craigslist. Word of mouth turned into regional deliveries outside of northwest Arkansas, and before they knew it, they were making deliveries of solid hardwood furniture throughout the eastern half of the United States. The first retail store opened in 2014, and it wasn’t long before total revenue grew to more than seven figures. Continued growth led to a larger production facility and a fully optimized direct-to-consumer website in March 2020.”
HOW IT’S GOING
Pike was introduced to James Smith in 2022 as the company was riding the wave of COVID-induced online furniture sales.
“The company at that time was struggling to meet current demand,” Pike said. “I recognized the markings of a very compelling business opportunity and, alongside several investors, we acquired the company in February 2023.
“Today, we are intent on laying the building blocks of a professionally managed organization, which has the infrastructure to scale significantly in 2025 and beyond.”
In addition to having implemented several key pieces of technology to support a robust manufacturing environment and a system for the leadership team to manage key business initiatives, Pike said the company is launching a new website and interior-design trade program later this summer.
James + James operates a brick-and-mortar retail store and workshop in Springdale. Today, it employs 80 professionals, more than 60 of whom are craftspeople who create furniture made for life. Experts of the craft, the James + James team can offer insight into all things furniture, from decor and design to the technical aspects of hardwood species and stain selection.
James + James operates a brick-and-mortar retail store and workshop in Springdale. (Photos provided)
“James + James was founded with the desire to put care and hard work into thoughtfully created furniture that would serve families in its beauty and durability,” Pike said. “These heirloom-quality items are made to live up to real life. We want them to patina over the years and add to the heart of the owner’s home and office.”
Specializing in dining tables, chairs, desks, beds, outdoor furniture and more, each James + James item is made to order, which creates deeply personal pieces for the owner.
“We look for every place in the home where the beauty of solid wood combined with a new traditional design can be a piece that our customers are proud to own,” Pike said. “While aesthetically pleasing, we also know that all of the various products made by our craftspeople will significantly outperform our imported competitors’ products.”
As a result, James + James is one of the fastest-growing furniture companies in America, gracing the Inc. 5000 list.
Dedicated to preserving and growing the craftsmanship of its furniture, James + James is not simply preserving the art of handcrafted furniture; it is championing the craft, intentionally scaling its operations and team while maintaining and growing its commitment to handmade furniture. The northwest Arkansas woodshop produces hundreds of made-to-order pieces each month, and visitors to the Watson showroom on Main Street in Springdale can see the carpenters in action.
REAL WOOD FEATURES FOR HEIRLOOM TREASURES
James + James prides itself on crafting products from real, solid hardwood. Most pieces are made from knotty alder that is responsibly and sustainably harvested from the Pacific Northwest. The team also uses white oak, black walnut and maple and incorporates steel elements to accentuate the wood.
“Alongside authentic carpentry, solid hardwood from the United States is what separates us from most of the furniture sold today,” Pike said. “James + James offers most all our furniture pieces in one of three hardwood species: knotty alder, white oak and black walnut. We select these species based on the personality of the respective wood grains, as well as the durability and ability to hold up to everyday life. Roughly 85 percent of our pieces are crafted using knotty alder, which we source from the Pacific Northwest.”
Pike added that red alder stands out as a top carbon storer due to its unique characteristics.
“It regenerates easily, grows rapidly and accumulates mass faster than most temperate hardwood species,” he said. “White oak is skyrocketing in terms of popularity, and this beautiful species is being incorporated into many home renovations, remodels and furniture. We are working on a strategic partnership, which will allow us to source white oak that is milled and originates right here in Arkansas. As a result, we will be updating our product portfolio to offer many more white oak designs and will be communicating the sustainability advantages of sourcing locally.”
The James + James woodshop produces hundreds of made-to-order pieces each month. (Photos provided)
According to StyleBlueprint, many furniture makers say their products are “handmade” in the United States, but the products are still made on giant pieces of machinery and from cheap and lightweight materials — some of which are not even real wood.
During a time where the furniture industry is flooded with copy-and-paste aesthetics, James + James believes in creating articles custom to each household. From choosing overall dimensions and finish color, customers can customize James + James pieces to fit each space. The company’s customer service team is with their customers each step of the way, from preliminary design consultations to ensuring delivery goes smoothly.
“Imported ‘fast furniture’ may seem like an economic purchase at the time, but it actually ends up costing more when you calculate the number of times you must replace a poor-quality dining table or bedroom set on repeat,” Pike said. “Quality furniture, by contrast, comes at a higher upfront cost but is built to last, making it a better investment for American families.
“From an economic standpoint, fast furniture doesn’t help Americans or our economy, either. China, the leading producer of furniture on an international scale, averages at a $269.5 billion production industry. The United States, by contrast, closed 2023 with $2.297 billion in furniture sales. While we are proud of our solid-wood authentic craftsmanship, we are also humbled by the opportunity to host all of life’s moments at one of our dining tables. In this way, we like to say that James + James furniture is ‘made for life.’”
Pike said there are several advantages to choosing bespoke furniture, including maximizing space, quality, design specificity and uniqueness in style, to name a few. In particular, James + James products can be found in customer homes throughout the United States.
Since February of this year, we have built furniture for Zach Bryan, Eric Church, Josh Duhamel and Colleen Hoover, the author whose books are being made into Netflix films,” Pike said.
“Additionally, we have several pieces displayed as art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.”
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
Pike said the future for custom furniture in general and James + James is sustainability.
“Our primary motivation is to create a healthy and sustainable business model rooted in compelling work for our teammates, who subscribe to a value system of creating beautiful solid-wood furniture for all of America’s families,” he said. “We are early in our journey but aspire to be another company on the extensive list of Arkansas’ wildly successful entrepreneurial endeavors. Each member of our team is here because of the opportunity to create a great company; one that is built on a passion for high quality products coupled with professional business processes.”
He added that part of what makes James + James unique is its team of authentic customer experience individuals whom customers know by name.
“If you are interested in speaking with someone who can assist in the design of our pieces, our team is highly qualified to assist with your purchase decisions,” Pike said. “Because of our significant offerings of customization options, our pieces are essentially created just for you. Combine these options with the natural character of solid wood, and each order is extremely personalized. In some cases, we may offer more than 3,000 variations of the same basic design.”
FEATURE IMAGE TOP: James + James workers are master carpenters. (Photos provided)
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Publish date : 2024-08-14 02:25:00
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