When Blair Popham and Morgan Hopkins took ownership of J&B Home Counselors on March 1st, 2025, they weren’t just stepping into a business. They were stepping into a legacy. J&B got its start in Cloquet back in 1978, expanding to Grand Rapids in 1981, and today it continues to serve homeowners across the region with the same commitment to quality that defined it from the beginning.
The partnership came together naturally. Morgan, a realtor with a genuine gift for design, was approached about the potential purchase of J&B. She had the creative vision but wanted someone she trusted to handle the business side, so she called Blair.
“It just made sense. We each stay in our strength zones,” Blair says. “Morgan handles all the design, renderings, and client vision, and I run the back end. We really just went for it, and it’s been so fun.”
Both women bring a wealth of outside experience to the table. Blair and her husband own several other businesses in the area, including Rapid Fuel and Limitless Lab, and Morgan continues to work as a realtor alongside her role at J&B. Far from being a distraction, they see those experiences as one of their biggest strengths.
Their clients are primarily homeowners within about 50 miles of Grand Rapids who are building new or remodeling kitchens, bathrooms, entryways, laundry rooms, entertainment centers, and more. J&B offers cabinetry, countertops, plumbing fixtures, hardware, and beyond. No two days look the same, and that’s exactly how they like it.
Morgan loves the design process and working with all different types of people on different elements of a project. For Blair, it’s the moment a client sees their space come together.
“It can be something as simple as a hardware switch-out, but it completely changes the look and feel of a room. That reaction never gets old.”
They’re also candid about the challenges. Managing client expectations in an industry where quality work takes time has been their biggest hurdle, and they’ve put real effort into keeping communication clear and timelines transparent.
Looking back on just over a year of ownership, Blair and Morgan are proud of how much ground they’ve covered together. New product lines, showroom additions, and stronger systems have already transformed the operation. Short-term, they’re focused on continuing that momentum. Long-term, they want J&B to be the go-to name for kitchen and bath design in the area, known for quality work and people who genuinely care.
That community-minded approach extends to who they bank with. Both Blair and Morgan credit Grand Rapids State Bank and their banker Nate Lloyd as a great fit from the start.
“We love Nate Lloyd. He was super creative and helpful during our loan process and really made it easy,” Blair says. GRSB’s commitment to community give-back resonates deeply with both of them. “Having a banker who texts you, who you can just call and talk to like a real person, that’s pretty unique.”
For Blair and Morgan, J&B Home Counselors is more than a business. It’s a partnership built on trust, a shared passion for transforming spaces, and deep roots in the community they’re proud to serve.