Date: January 6, 2014 | Story: Tiffany Burgess Adams | Producer: Tiffany Burgess Adams |
Johnna Dobbs can put any subject in just the right light. In fact, creating amazing lighting options seems to be in her blood. As a third generation lamp designer and wholesale vendor, Dobbs literally grew up in the business. She spent her high school summers as well as her college days in the factory her father, Jerry, started in the late 1980s. “The factory bell rang at 7 a.m. each morning, so I would sleep in my clothes to save time and make sure I made it here,” laughs Dobbs, who admits it was during this time that she fell in love with the creative side of the business. “When I really started doing the work I found I had a passion,” she says of her experience in all facets of the business. When you meet the spirited and gracious maven, it’s easy to see why success has continued to ensue for both her and the brand.
Today she has made Jonesboro’s Mastercraft Distribution a go-to wholesale source for nationwide retailers including Target, Walmart, Hobby Lobby and T.J. Maxx. “We try to provide a high-end product at an affordable price,” says Dobbs of the line. From bold pink and lime green to more traditional glass, golds and bronzes, no material is left out of Mastercraft’s offerings. With an eye on current trends in the home design and fashion markets as well as an open-mind, which she allows to be inspired by “anything from magazine clippings to pictures of art or colors I see,” Dobbs brings a new line to life each fall and spring at High Point Market.
A true go-getter and successful in her own rite, Dobbs is using the foundation that was originally laid by her grandfather with his small Jonesboro-based lamp company, along with the success her dad has built with their current operation, to expand Mastercraft’s offerings. This past fall the company debuted their first line of case goods and accent pieces at market, and received a great response. Her hope is this new addition will allow them to build entire collections around one trend or look, making them a one-stop shop for vendors.
Always in search of inspiration and eager to visit with clients face-to-face, Dobbs is often on the go traveling domestically as well as internationally.However, she remains true to the values her family instilled in her and the atmosphere they have created at Mastercraft. “My dad’s built a really great company here. We all do everything together and at the end of the day it feels like one big family,” she concludes.
