JOHN GABBERT

John Gabbert left his family’s traditional furniture store in 1980 at age 33 to create Room & Board, a new retail business focused on modern, timeless designs made by U.S. craftsmen at an affordable value. Four decades later, Room & Board has grown to include 21 stores across the country as well as operating an omni-channel sales operation that accounts for 60 percent of sales.

Mr. Gabbert’s vision for his company was personal: he wanted to create a culture of like-minded people where everyone – customers and staff – is treated as a friend. There are no sales or promotions, and the Room & Board sales team is salaried, so that the focus stays on what’s best for the customer and not on earning a commission.

A creative merchant and strategic thinker, Mr. Gabbert believes good design starts with function, and form follows. Since its beginnings, Room & Board has specialized in clean, simple furniture built with honest, long-lasting materials. To fulfill this mission, he created an in-house product development team because he believes that the sales team is closest to the customer and better able to identify unmet needs.  Room & Board offers a great deal of choice and personalization to customers through a “by-the-inch” program. It also offers flexibility in the finishing and mixing of materials – for example, offering multiple choices of stone, glass and solid wood on tabletops with various finishes for the iron bases.

Based in Minneapolis, the brand is known for its commitment to environmental stewardship. More than 90 percent of products sold are manufactured by small U.S. companies who practice responsible sourcing. A co-founder of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, Room & Board is dedicated to improving people’s lives at both the local and global levels and has long advocated for sustainability of the planet.