When did your business open in Statesboro? Where exactly are you located?

Our showroom is not yet officially open, but we will most likely have it completed by the middle of June. However, we have been open for business in Statesboro and the surrounding areas since May 1st and are currently taking appointments for in-home consultations and design sessions.We are located at 19 South Main Street directly across from Board and Brush… between Hair Studio 101 and The Flower girl in what used to be South and Vine.

Why did you want to open a business in Downtown Statesboro?

2019 marks our 15th anniversary as a family-owned company. Back in January, my father (Jeff) called me up and said he wanted to do something special for it; he wanted to try something different than what he had been doing and wanted to run some ideas by me because he was thinking of building a showroom. We started scouting in some select cities building this new idea, but after asking around, learning about all of the new growth happening here in the downtown area, the revitalization plan, and the changes to Eagle Creek coupled with the addition to the Blue Mile, and we really felt like this was the place we needed to be. For me, personally, Statesboro has been my home since I started at Georgia Southern back in 2008. My wife and I once tried to leave after college, but we agreed that it just didn’t feel right and made the decision to move back within the year. So, this naturally felt like a good opportunity to give something back to the place I call home.

What is a unique feature about you or your business that people in Statesboro may not know?

A feature that you may not know about me is that I grew up working with my father building custom cabinetry and kitchens, but beyond that, I worked as a designer and project specialist for a Forbes top 50 company for the past four years before finding my way back to the family business. Something unique about the business itself is that while we use industry-standard software applications to create our designs, we actually built our own computer systems to allow us to maximize our rendering capabilities and provide our clients with a clear picture of what their finished kitchen or bath can look like before they purchase. We are also currently working on implementing virtual reality, so once a design is complete our client can put on the headset and actually walk around in the space we have created for them and get a feel for it.

What is the story behind your name and logo?

The J and the B is representative of my father and Mother. He’s Jeff and she’s Brenda, and that all they really had when they first opened the business 15 years ago. My dad had just been laid off when the textile plant he worked at was bought out. So, he took his talents that he had acquired from his second job as a cabinet builder and struck out on his own. They bet hard on his craftsmanship and it really has paid off over the years in the form of a company that has become known not only in our hometown of Hartwell, but Atlanta, the Lake Oconee area, and even into South Carolina by word of mouth alone.

We really wanted the logo to be representative of the surrounding community because we want to be an active part of our community. We want to be there to lend a hand to our neighbors when they need it, and nothing says Statesboro to us like blue and white.

During your time in Downtown Statesboro, what has been the biggest surprise you have faced?

The biggest surprise that I have experienced thus far has got to be how welcoming the downtown and the city officials have been. Not only that but how welcoming and excited the people seem to be. Recently, I have had the pleasure of meeting quite a few people in the area who were so excited and helpful when they found out what we were bringing to the downtown area and it genuinely blew me away. I am very grateful for their generosity and their encouragement and it inspires me to pay it forward to the next small business that arrives in the downtown area.

What is your favorite product that you sell in your store? Why?

I don’t really have a favorite product to sell, for me my favorite part is the design phase. I love going into a lived-in space or an empty one and imagining what it could be. My father taught me early on in life that the kitchen isn’t just where people cook their meals, but it’s where families come together. It’s where kids do their homework… It’s where friends are entertained… where people gather to welcome a new addition to the family… and gather to say goodbye to good friends. Essentially, the kitchen is the heart of the home, and taking that live-in or empty space and converting it into a space for people to make those memories is the reason why we choose to do this.

What are your plans for your store’s future?

Our goal is to be the one-stop shop for kitchen and bath renovations. We are already working on expanding into some other areas outside of custom cabinetry. In an effort to begin this transition, we recently became an official KraftMaid dealer. This allows us to offer a wider selection to our clients in order to meet their various needs and budgets. As part of this expansion, we have also started carrying laminate, granite, quartz, and marble countertops, along with full-service installation on all our products. Furthermore, every installation and product purchased and design through JB Cabinets Statesboro is covered under warranty.