WHEN THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER BRAND IN THE WORLD OF HIGH-END appliances dominates your showroom, it’s a testament to the quality of your enterprise. NorthPoint Appliance enjoys a professional relationship of mutual respect with the Sub-Zero Group, a leading manufacturer of luxury appliances. A recipient of the Nationwide Marketing Group’s 2025 Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence, locally owned NorthPoint has carved out a niche in Alpharetta, Georgia, building a reputation for providing superior products and customer service since its founding in 2000.
“High-end is our focus,” says NorthPoint president Allen Jones. “We sell far more Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove products than anything else in our showroom. They have great products, great customer service—they stand by their products and by independent dealers like us that sell them.”
“The company is one of the most supportive of its brands in the industry,” says Jeff Watson, NorthPoint vice president. “When we do have an issue, which is seldom, and it can’t be resolved in a timely fashion, they will do what it takes to satisfy the customer.”
“They have our back,” adds Jones. “We make a call to them, and they take care of everything. It’s a very seamless process. And the result is a very happy customer.”
“When you’ve been in the industry as long as Allen and I have, people trust your expertise,” Watson says. “I’m here to sell people the best quality, the least serviced and the best results for your home—and that happens to be the Sub-Zero Wolf products.”
What started as a side gig—Jones selling “out-of-box” appliances from his garage—has grown into a high-volume dealership, celebrating 25 years in business this year. Jones parlayed his sales acumen and entrepreneurial spirit into a success story, learning the industry and building collaborative partnerships along the way.
Today, NorthPoint commands a 12,000-square-foot showroom stocked with the full complement of indoor and outdoor household and commercial equipment. Refrigeration, cooking, dishwashing, laundry, electronics, ventilation and grilling products are sourced from the full spectrum of makers, including Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove, Bertazzoni, Bosch, KitchenAid, Thermador and Miele. NorthPoint’s website features over a million products.
“We’re actually a small business,” Jones points out. “We’ve got to differentiate ourselves from the huge companies out there. One way we do that is by providing great customer service. Jeff and I are here every day. And we have a great team, on the sales floor and providing installation. We strive to give every customer an over-the-top experience.”
An industry veteran, Watson’s experience spans three decades. In fact, when Jones was putting together a plan for growing the company, Watson was referred to him by Don DeLong, vice president of sales for the Atlanta-based Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove showroom. They connected, and Watson joined the NorthPoint management team in 2016. Two years later, the expansion unfolded with the relocation of the showroom and warehouse to its present location, a sprawling property in a high-traffic part of town.
“We remodeled all the displays in the interior ourselves,” notes Watson. “I know how to design a vignette—I was in charge of interior buildouts before I joined NorthPoint—and Allen had an idea of what he wanted to do here, to arrange various manufacturers in this vast space. We decided to dedicate one entire side of the showroom to Sub-Zero Wolf, and on the opposite side we have different vignettes featuring Thermidor, Bosch and KitchenAid. Sub-Zero Wolf did a huge remodel for us. They expanded their footprint to triple the size we had in the other store.”
In fact, Jones and Watson are a completely hands-on team, working in tandem to operate every facet of the business themselves. Watson handles management, purchasing and coordination of displays, while Jones manages all the financials. Both are involved in sales.
“We consult each other,” explains Watson. “If Allen needs advice on the showroom, he comes to me and asks my opinion. We’re pretty close; we have a really good relationship.”
He credits a seasoned staff for success on the showroom floor, saying the company only hires associates with high-end appliance experience. “We have a very friendly sales team, with customer service being our No. 1 priority,” he says. “We take care of customers after the sale, as well. I have customers from 20 years ago who still call me. If you have an issue with an appliance you bought here, we’ll take care of it. We don’t do service, but I know the ins and outs of all the various brands’ service departments so it’s easier for me to take care of it, and easier for the customer.”
NorthPoint’s customer base includes individual homeowners, designers and several area builders who send their clients to the showroom for guidance in making selections for a new construction or renovation. “One of my best customers, Patrick Davey—Davey Construction out of Buckhead—he’ll just send me a list and say, ‘This is what I need for this house.’ I handle all his homes. I’ve been dealing with him for over 20 years,” Watson says. “I also work with Steve Laboda of Capstone Building Group. He outfits all of his homes through us as well—with Sub-Zero exclusively. And Allen has several really large builders that work exclusively with him.”
NorthPoint can do business outside of the state for existing customers who have previously purchased merchandise, and depending on an individual brand’s limitations. “A lot of companies don’t allow us to ship any further than 150 miles from our location because that starts infringing on other dealers’ territories,” explains Watson. “But in certain situations, we can make it happen. For instance, if we have a customer in the Milton area who’s building a vacation home in North Carolina or South Carolina or down on the Gulf Coast, and they want to deal with us for selecting their appliances for that new home, getting them shipped and installed in that new home, we can arrange all that. We do have an installation crew, but for large jobs or out-of-state jobs, we contract the work out primarily to All Star Installations out of Buford, Georgia. I’ve known the owner for almost 20 years.”
With a proven track record built on top-shelf customer service, industry knowledge, trustworthiness and product reliability, locally owned NorthPoint Appliance guarantees a personalized, seamless experience, from start to finish. *
Wendy Swat Snyder is a Charleston-based freelance writer (sweetgrassandgrits.com).
