We all have those established restaurants in our community; the kind that have been around for as long as we can remember, the kind that have survived all the odds that are constantly working against them, the kind whose interior is plastered with old dollar store picture frames full of vintage photos from the establishment’s early years. And inevitably, somewhere in all those pictures plastered on the walls, is an old image of a billboard advertising that business, often with the owner proudly standing next to the wood structure, pointing up at the advertisement.

This weekend, I visited one of those classic establishments in Central Florida; Hot Dog Heaven, a family-owned business that opened in 1987. And sure enough, there amongst the many old and faded pictures on the wall, was an image of a Whiteco billboard advertising Hot Dog Heaven.

These types of photos, proudly displayed by the store owner, is a testament to not only the fact that the OOH industry plays an important role in the success of a business, but it is also a reminder of the business owner’s perception that being able to advertise on a billboard is a meaningful milestone in the growth of their business. Of all the pictures that the owner could choose to proudly display on their walls, next to the photos of their grandbabies being held in the back kitchen, next to photos of the owner’s milestone birthdays at the restaurant, is usually a picture of what I can only presume to be their first billboard. Just as those grandbabies are a symbol of their family’s growth, that billboard is a symbol of the growth of their family-owned restaurant.

We can never forget what the OOH industry does for small businesses around the country; it takes their baby, their pride and joy, the very thing they have put their heart and soul into, and helps them grow it into a strong, healthy business that can withstand the evolutionary odds against them. So, the next time you sell an ad to a young family-owned business, please take a classic picture of that billboard, print it out, and give it to the owner in a simple frame. Because hopefully, one day, the next generation will walk into that establishment, see that old photograph, and realize that billboards played a part in the growth and longevity of that business.

By Jennifer Sloane, Esq.  Representing OOH Operators for 25 years.  JSloane@Sloanelawoffice.com

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