At Home with Ruby Lane’s Tom Johnson

By Paul Kennedy

Tom Johnson appears to be a good guy. Accommodating, generous with his time, and possessing a sense of whimsy that’s almost impossible to resist, Johnson is disarmingly nice. He played trombone in the University of Minnesota marching band, has a rescue dog named Lucky Lu, and, at his Naples, Fla., home, has placed a huge purple Dino—the pet dinosaur of Fred and Wilma Flintstone—near the pool that plays “Meet the Flintstones” to entertain guests and golfers alike.

Seriously, how do you not like this guy?!!

But there’s a dark side, sort of. The co-founder, CEO, and president of Ruby Lane, Johnson is the first to admit he started his company, the world’s largest curated online marketplace for quality vintage collectibles and antiques, 25 years ago for purely selfish reasons.

“In 1998, I was collecting 1950s dishes and found it cumbersome to complete a set,” Johnson says. “Searching shops online was difficult and often proved fruitless, especially since the Internet was in its infancy.”

So, Johnson, one of those insanely talented people who makes the rest of us look like slackers—he graduated with top honors from Minnesota, earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a minor in mathematics and music, and later worked as a software engineer and technical liaison with IBM in Tokyo—started Ruby Lane in 1998. The goal was simple: make online shopping for antiques and vintage collectibles easy. To top it off, he named the company after his mother.

OK, so maybe Johnson’s dark side selfishness is not exactly Darth Vaderesque.

Today, RubyLane.com is firmly entrenched as one of the best marketplace destinations online, attracting two million monthly visitors to its more than 2,000 shops selling more than 500,000 items.

Johnson, a native of Grand Forks, N.D., splits his time between Naples and Manhattan. We caught up with him in Naples, where he shared his thoughts on his 25-year journey and his Mid-Century home.

Q: Twenty-five years is a long time. Does it feel like it?

A: It’s really quite amazing—where has the time gone! I don’t feel all that old at 60 now, but with Ruby Lane it’s been a whirlwind in the world of the constantly changing landscape of the Internet and antique businesses. So it feels like I’ve been on a wild Disney ride … which isn’t so bad as I’m a fan.

Q: What advice would you give a younger Tom Johnson pondering the launch of Ruby Lane?

A: Well, I don’t have many regrets, so I wouldn’t change my path much at all, but definitely be confident in what you’re doing and don’t be afraid to take risks and really go for it.

Q: How much do you trust your gut instinct?

A: I’d say almost 100% of the time. The few times I was talked out of it, things did not go well and then I’m kicking myself for not following my gut.

Q: In 25 years, people will wish they had held onto … ?

A: Their parents’ and grandparents’ “stuff” they didn’t want! With technology advancing so fast, there’s going to be big demand for getting back to simpler nostalgic keepsakes.

Q: What’s the most recent thing you’ve added to your collection?

A: A fab pair of 1956 Arthur Jacobs for Modeline lamps, plus a cool tension pole light for my ’60s Florida home.

Q: How do you find calm?

A: Playing with my little white rescue doggie Lucky Lu. She’s the best at calming me down when needed. Yoga, a swim in the pool and soak in the hot tub also helps a lot too.

Q: What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

A: Head scratches for Lucky Lu. Then while still in bed, my workday begins by opening my laptop and reading emails, seeing what’s happening with the Ruby Lane team on Slack, and reading the headline news.

Q: What do you crave most at the end of the day?

A: A nice dinner out with friends and/or family. Since I work from home, along with the entire Ruby Lane team from day one, it’s great to get out and about. If I’m at my place in NYC, definitely seeing a Broadway show!

Q: What is your favorite Nerd thing to do?

A: That would be my latest obsession with a silly Space Invaders game on my phone. It is rather relaxing, though, and it brings back memories from my college days when I played it.

Q: What’s something you’ve recently done for the first time?

A: I started going to a trainer to lift weights. I’ve been a yogi for the past 25 years, so it seemed like a good time to see what weight training is all about. It’s been great so far.

Q: Favorite Mid-Century possession?

A: Oh, that’s so tough. My homes are full of it. I love my vintage poodles in every shape and size imaginable. I also have a few killer pieces of artwork that I love.

Q: At one time, you wanted to be a concert pianist. And then you played trombone in a marching band in college. What’s more fun, piano or trombone?

A: Have to say trombone because that a was very social instrument—we had lots of fun in the band. My senior year I was part of leading 48 trombone players.

Q: What sort of music makes you happy?

A: I’m all over the board with music, and depends on my mood—classical, daytime dance, pop 40, cocktail madness, Sinatra or fun Broadway show tunes.

Q: Complete this sentence: If I had to do it all over again, I would …

A: Not change a thing! It’s been a wild ride with lots of ups and downs, but when you’re passionate about something, it’s all worth it.

Q: You’re at the cineplex. One ticket. “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer?”

A: Obviously, “Barbie!” I mean, Ruby Lane is known as the Doll World’s Home!

Photos: All images courtesy Tom Johnson/Ruby Lane

Lucky Lu lounges in the main living area next to Johnson’s grandmother’s massive coffee table and Murano glass rooster, his 1950s curved sectional sofa, and a 19th-century copper weathervane. A small Curtis Jere metal sculpture and a contemporary painting by Brazilian artist Amauri Torezan surround his recent acquisition of a 1960s tension pole lamp.

A collection of Johnson’s everyday 1950s dinnerware housed in a Mid-Century hutch. Johnson uses the vintage pieces he owns daily.

Johnson’s house guests stay in the “poodle room,” where everything is oodles of poodles.

In the family room, Johnson converted a Mid-Century dining room buffet to hide the TV. A vintage Spartus motion clock lamp (right) and a wonderful 1945 oil painting by Gio Colucci add to the overall appeal of the room.

A vintage chest of drawers by Sligh is used as a nightstand, with cast iron doggies at the base of a stunning Mid-Century lamp with original shade.

Lucky Lu relaxes in the lanai on 1950s bamboo furniture with a 19th-century Japanese vase acquired while Johnson lived in Japan. A lounging antique garden gnome keeps things chill.

Much of Johnson’s home is decorated with purchases from Ruby Lane stores.

Ruby Lane is known as the ‘Doll World’s Home.’ And Johnson is known for his sense of whimsy, as his patriotic Ken doll displays.

Used as pop art in the pool area, Dino, a 1994 coin-operated kiddie ride, plays “Meet The Flintstones” to entertain guests and golfers.

Like his home and this poolside sculpture, Ruby Lane reflects the uniqueness of Johnson’s life.

 

Photos: All images courtesy Tom Johnson/Ruby Lane

Paul Kennedy is the Editorial Director of Kovels Antique Trader. You can reach him at PKennedy@aimmedia.com