Company: Toby Outdoor

Markets: North Carolina, Virginia

Headquarters: P.O. Box 11397, Charlotte, NC  28220

Phone: 704-577-3157

Toby Outdoor was founded in 1984 by Jim Troy. Jim’s career in the outdoor business began as an apprentice in operations and sign maintenance in 1971. This apprenticeship lasted 7 years, thru high school and college.  Toby Outdoor operates a 300 face billboard plant in northern North Carolina and Southern Virginia.  Toby Outdoor is an Operator Associate in IBOUSA.

Jim, how did you enter the outdoor business?

My dad managed several billboard operations.   I worked for Vern Clark as a young guy.  That company was sold to Lamar.  I went on my own, built 300 faces and sold to Lamar in 2000.  I watched ESPN Sportscenter for two and a half years and did Habitat for Humanities stuff and tutored and then started back in the business because I wanted something to do.

Tell us about your company.

We have 300 faces in 9 counties in Virginia and North Carolina.  We are small town oriented.  It’s me and full time sales person and a secretary.

You’ve divided many of your 12 by 40 or 14 by 48 billboards into halves.

I operate in smaller markets.  Advertisers can’t afford a 10 by 40 or 14 by 48.  By splitting the sign I’m able to allow more businesses  to participate.

What are the Virginia and North Carolina markets like?

Regulatory hostility is high.  We’re also in some smaller markets where rates aren’t so high.

What’s your attitude towards digital?

I have one digital.  It does OK.  I built a 10.6 by 36 digital billboard.  It could have been smaller given the market.  I used Formetco.  It’s been flawless.  Formetco has treated me well.

What do you know now that you wish you knew 45 years ago when you entered the business?

Don’t underestimate how hard it is to access capital.  Building one sign at a time is hard.

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