Don Johnson’s hands tell the story of a builder. Decades of gripping hammers, lifting beams, and smoothing surfaces have left them strong, rough, and shaped by the tools of his trade.
In turn, the family business he co-founded with his brother Tom in 1990, Johnson Brothers Construction, is woven into the fabric of Ann Arbor. Their work stands as quiet markers of a company that has spent decades building homes in the city they love.
Building custom luxury homes isn't always a hyper-local affair, but for Don and Tom, there was never a question that it would be for Johnson Brothers.
"When we started out, all we wanted to do was stay around Burns Park and the West Side because that's the area we love. We use as many local businesses as we can — Gross Electric, Chelsea Lumber, Stadium Hardware. We rarely go outside of Ann Arbor unless we have to," Don says. "This city has been good to us, and we’ve built everything with that in mind."
That commitment to Ann Arbor runs deeper than just geography — it’s a way of doing business, built on trust and relationships. Their early years were shaped at Fingerle Lumber, the now-closed supplier that was the backbone of Ann Arbor’s building industry. "Fingerle gave us a line of credit when we were starting out, just on our word," Don recalls. "That was Ann Arbor. You build a reputation, and you live or die by it."
From a home for the family behind Domino’s Pizza — Johnson Brothers’ first large-scale project — to a new, sprawling 11,000-square-foot masterpiece in Barton Hills, that reputation has led to one remarkable project after another. Now, as Don’s son Jake Johnson steps into a leadership role, he's not just carrying on the family name — he’s shaping what comes next.
"We don’t tell clients what they can’t do," Jake says. "We get just as excited about their vision as they are, and we just figure out how to make it happen." That philosophy has pushed them into the upper echelon of homebuilders, designing everything from ultra-modern estates to classic restorations.
One recent project involved a massive steel staircase that a client wanted to completely re-engineer mid-build. "They decided at the last minute they wanted it spiral instead of straight," Jake says. "It meant bringing in structural engineers, welding on-site, and basically reworking the whole plan. But that’s what we do — we make it work."
Relationships and craftsmanship have set the Johnson Brothers apart from other builders for decades, and it's a strength they're still building on. While Don built the company’s foundation, Jake is shaping its future. "When I first came in, there was no marketing, no website. Just an incredible reputation," Jake says. "I knew we had an amazing product — we just needed to make sure people could see it." He’s expanded their online presence, bringing in new technology and sustainable materials while maintaining their commitment to craftsmanship and client satisfaction.
"I’ve watched my dad work with the same crews for decades. These guys don’t just show up and put up walls. They care. They take pride in every detail," Jake says. "That’s what I want to carry on — making sure every job is done right, no matter how complicated or ambitious."
Now, when Don and Jake walk through a finished home — a space that started as a sketch and turned into something a family will live in for generations — they both feel the same satisfaction of a job done well. "It’s a great feeling, you know?" he says. "You leave something behind that’s going to outlast you."
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Craftsmanship and trust have set the Johnson Brothers apart for decades.