About Us

Johnson Brothers first opened its doors for business in the spring of 1953 in St. Paul Minnesota.

Our History

With a rented truck, a converted roller skating rink for a warehouse, and a tiny portfolio of brands, the company’s founder, 24-year-old Lynn Johnson, hit the streets as a one-man operation. He’d take orders during the day, load the truck at night, and make the deliveries the next day himself.

His remarkable work ethic and commitment to superior customer service helped the family-owned and operated company grow into one of the top beverage distributorships in the country. While the company’s focus in the early days was on selling spirits, it soon expanded into the emerging wine category.

Other innovations occurred along the way. Johnson Brothers became one of the nation’s first wine and spirits distributors to employ an exclusive on-premise sales force to service its bar and restaurant customers.

Johnson Brothers can also trace its roots to the beer business. In the 1960s, the company helped build Hamm’s Beer into one of the most popular and iconic beers through its St. Paul, Minnesota Beer Distributorship. The commitment to the beer business continues today, as Johnson Brothers is proud to represent some of the most sought-after and top-selling beers in the industry.

The non-alcoholic business has also played an important role in the company’s history. We distribute some of the best non-alcoholic beverages in the world, including energy drinks and mixers.

Today, Johnson Brothers is still family-owned and one of the leading wine, spirits, and beer distributors. It provides world-class service to customers and operates in 17 states with more than 4,000 team members.

Lynn Johnson
Our founder Lynn Johnson in the early 1950’s
Still family owned today by Nathan, Yale, Todd, Michael, Maggie and Andrew Johnson.

Johnson Brothers Leadership

Get to know our leadership team at Johnson Brothers.

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Our Values

Our Values remain the same as they were in 1953 and are not just words on a poster, but deeply rooted principles that guide our actions and help define our culture.

Work Ethic

Our company was founded on hard work and sheer determination – it’s in our DNA. We will never be outworked or out hustled by our competition. We are self-disciplined, motivated, and determined to succeed.

Teamwork

Our cooperative and team-oriented “CAN DO” attitude results in top performance. We collaborate to achieve common goals.

Passion

We love what we do and believe that passion, enthusiasm, and determination are contagious and critical to our success.

Excellence

We do not accept mediocrity. We strive for excellence to be the best at everything that we do.

Innovation

We foster creativity and embrace change. We are nimble and strive to always improve in everything we do.

Integrity

We treat people with respect and dignity. We lead by example; conducting ourselves in an honest, professional, and trustworthy manner.