Jackson Medical Supply celebrates 20 years in biz

VACAVILLE, Calif. - When Wendy Jackson opened Jackson Medical Supply with her husband in 1999, they were the only game in town. Twenty years later, they still are.   

"We started the business because there was a need in Solano County and in the Vacaville area, which at the time was a little less than 100,000 people,” she said. “They didn't have any local DME companies.”

The couple started slowly, selling shower chairs, pillows, and wound care products out of their garage. In 2001, they opened their first brick and mortar store.

Today, Jackson Medical has 10 employees and three locations in Vacaville, Woodland, and Vallejo, Calif., and offers manual and power wheelchairs, scooters, lift chairs, vehicle lifts, stair lifts, ramps, and hospital beds, among many other products.

"Our business model is based off the Ace Hardware stores,” said Jackson. “We wanted to have one or two of everything. We did a lot of special orders in the first few years and we still do, so we built a reputation of being customer-friendly.”

The HME also has a robust repairs department, which makes up 20% of the business. They even take the show on the road for “Break Day.” Once a month the service manager and a sales rep go to local assisted living facilities to do minor repairs—free of charge—on resident's walkers and wheelchairs.

To keep things fresh, Jackson is always on the lookout for new products. Six months ago, Jackson Medical started carrying a full line of CBD balms and oils, which have sold “like wildfire,” as well as essential oils and diffusers.

“Providers have to think outside the box,” she said. “They have to try all sorts of different avenues to bring in income, bring in new clients, and keep people from going on the Internet.”