Company: Boardworks

Markets: Georgia

Headquarters: 3500 Lenox Road, Suite 500, Atlanta, GA  30326

Phone: 404-223-1161

Email: sales@boardworks.com

Boardworks operates an outdoor advertising plant in Atlanta.  The company was started in June 1989 by Larry Roberts.  The company has an outstanding website which placed first in the Billboard Insider 2015 website ranking and 2nd in the Billboard Insider 2017 website ranking.  The company has 10 remaining billboards in the Atlanta area after selling a group of premier Atlanta billboards in September 2016.  Insider interviewed Larry Roberts.

Larry, how did you get into the out of home business?

In 1988 I was living in Orlando, Fl and a buddy I grew up with suggested we look at outdoor advertising as a business opportunity.  We researched, gathered info and talked to anybody in the industry we could find for about 6 months and finally decided to start leasing and building signs in small central Florida towns like Wauchula, Arcadia and Okeechobee.  We developed and sold locations in the beginning and then, at some point, figured out that steel prices are the same in a small town as they are in a large city and decided to move to Atlanta in 1996 and concentrate solely on metro locations. 

You sold some boards during 2016.  What was your rationale?

We felt that we had upgraded certain parts of our inventory to its highest and best use and had been having informal conversations with potential buyers about a partial sale of these locations.  We had a discussion with Max Drachman with Kalil regarding our options and that phone call quickly led to multiple offers and the decision to spin off those assets.

Tell us about your remaining plant.

We kept some key locations that were not fully upgraded to digital with the intent of converting at some point in the future.  We also have an interest to grow and build strategic locations when the opportunity arises. 

Who’s digital billboards have you used and what have you learned?

We currently have Watchfire, Formetco, Daktronics and Samsung (Yesco) faces in service.   Our last few purchases have been with Watchfire and Formetco.  Both companies are putting out a first class product and we enjoy working with Bob Klausmeier at Watchfire and Britt McConnell at Formetco.  Both service teams are taking care of diagnostics and keeping the faces running and looking good.  Monitoring, service, parts and service times are pretty important factors to think through when considering a digital manufacturer.  Digital advertising sales are nothing like static sales.  Long term contracts are rare.  We have been working with Reeves Media as our sales group and have benefitted from their relationships with national/regional buyers as well as the wide network of locations they represent and the professionalism and experience of Patti Reeves.

 What are some lessons you’ve learned in 28 years in the out of home business?

• Location (as the saying goes) and viewability are probably the most important metrics in determining the value of a sign. 

• Some signs sell themselves but most do not.  Some are almost impossible to rent which creates a resource drain. 

• Work with and not against the folks who issue permits if at all possible. 
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• Placement on property matters.   Good real estate paper makes life easier.  

• Wide V structures and bright lights are good. 

• Relationships are long term and important.     

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