The foundation of our partnership.

Four decades. Three generations. That’s how long the Wall and Johnson families have been friends and business partners. In the late 1970s, E. Craig Wall, Sr., and George Dean Johnson, Jr., began working together on real estate and retail investment opportunities such as Waccamaw Pottery, a big-box discount retailer with locations in North and South Carolina, Virginia, and Illinois. From the start, their professional relationship was rooted in mutual respect and abiding trust. Core common values—integrity, humility, honesty— formed the bedrock of an enduring partnership that has flourished in prosperity and been fortified through adversity. These legacy principles govern WJ Partners' efforts today.

A second chapter commenced in the early 1980s, when Johnson partnered with Wall’s son, E. Craig Wall, Jr., on several new ventures, including WJB Video, which rapidly grew into the largest franchisee of Blockbuster Video with 210 locations across the Southeast. Following the sale of WJB Video to Blockbuster Entertainment in 1993, Johnson became the division president of video stores for Blockbuster Entertainment.  However, the two men continued to collaborate on other opportunities until Craig Wall, Jr.’s death in 1997. 

In 2008, the partnership was revitalized when George Dean Johnson, Jr., and Benjamin Wall, E. Craig Wall, Sr.’s grandson, formally established a new investment firm under the name WJ Partners, LLC, bringing the tradition full circle. Now at the pinnacle of a highly successful entrepreneurial career, Johnson has assumed the role of senior mentor to Wall, much like the original relationship between Johnson and E. Craig Wall, Sr.    

meet the WJ partners Team

WJ Partners is a unique team of entrepreneurs, operators, and private equity investment professionals. We understand the operational and financial challenges faced by business owners, and can provide guidance and insight based on decades of experience.