Spacewall International was founded by Huey Johnson Sr. in 1977. His vision was to declutter valuable retail floor space by displaying merchandise on store walls in an organized and attractive manner. With help from his sons and craftsmen from a custom woodworking shop in Tampa, Florida, Hugh developed the first prototype for slatwall. The first slatwall panels were all made by hand. Wooden slats were cut, set in a jig, then glued and stapled to a Luan plywood panel, hence the name “slatwall”.
Once the methods for producing slatwall were refined, Spacewall’s salesman, Peter Strauss, was ready to showcase the product to architects at Allied Stores headquarters in New York City. This presentation was the catalyst that launched slatwall into retail markets worldwide. The architects at Allied Stores fell in love with the concept and were ready to make plans to include slatwall in their designs for department stores across the country.
Spacewall would eventually move into a larger facility in Atlanta, Georgia during the early 1980’s. It was around this time that Spacewall began rapid expansion into twelve different locations across the country. This growth continued and developed into partnerships around the world to produce slatwall under the Spacewall name. From a small woodworking shop in Tampa, Florida to production facilities across the world – Hugh’s vision for slatwall changed the landscape of retail design for years to come.
Over the years, Spacewall International has concentrated slatwall production into four locations: Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Seattle. We are the original and largest slatwall manufacturer in the world and have maintained a tradition of excellence in manufacturing, lead times, and customer satisfaction. Whether you are looking to open a new store front, remodel, or simply need more garage space – we invite you to explore your options with Spacewall.
