Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff attributes a majority of its success to online sales at cheapjoes.com. Joe C. Miller founded the company in 1984, which is currently one of the top three providers of art supplies in the United States, according to Joe C. Miller II (a). Photo Special to The Appalachian.

by MARY ELIZABETH ROBERTSON
Lifestyles Reporter

Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff has a warehouse filled with employees, packaging materials and, of course, art supplies.

Joe C. Miller started the company in 1984.

At the time, he was employed as the pharmacist at Boone Drug.

“He was a pharmacist who wanted to become a watercolor painter,” his son and Vice President of Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff Joe C. Miller II said. “He took lessons from the chair of the Art Department at [Appalachian State University].”

Joe C. Miller was given a list of art supplies to purchase, and after spending over $600, he felt there had to be a better way to purchase supplies without paying the retail price.

“I felt there was not a real quality art materials store here,” Joe C. Miller said. “So, I stuck some supplies everywhere in Boone Drug and sold out of there, and it was successful.”

He then established an agreement with the Watercolor Society of North Carolina to acquire a mailing list to sell mail order materials and began selling his supplies over the phone at Boone Drug.

“He quickly realized he was acting as both pharmacist and salesman,” Public Relations Manager of Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff Carolyn M. Fogle said. “So, his nephew, niece, son and [I] came in to pack shipments and help out.”

Fogle has now been with the company for 21 years.

Following initial success, Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff moved into a building on Industrial Park Drive before moving to its current location on the same drive in 1994.

The 20,000-square-foot building doubled its size in 2001, allowing for classroom and marketplace space.

In 2007, Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff opened another store in Charlotte.

Throughout his life, Joe C. Miller has opened numerous businesses, including a taxidermy business and a key chain shop.

“I guess you could call him a serial entrepreneur,” Joe C. Miller II said.

He said Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff is now one of the top three providers of art supplies in the United States and the success is significantly affected by the online sales of cheapjoes.com.

Brian C. Dubberly, Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff marketing and advertising manager went to school for architecture and has been an artist his entire life.

He has worked for Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff for eight years and began as a temporary worker before being offered a full-time job.

Dubberly has kept track of competition in order to allow customers the best price on products.

“The consumer has an attention span of three days,” he said. “If we don’t send out e-mails every three days, it is kind of difficult…we don’t want to offend or annoy our customer base.”

In addition to Internet sales, Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff also maintains a catalog for mail order purchases and is one of few Boone businesses to become corporate.

“Being in a small town and being in the mountains, you have a strong work ethic and independence that doesn’t exist elsewhere,” Joe C. Miller II said. “We are a certified Entrepreneurship Company, where community leaders have worked with the county government to ensure Watauga County is friendly to small businesses.”

Photo Special to The Appalachian

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