YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY

Springfield, MO

Log in Subscribe

Business Spotlight: A Bigger Sign

Signarama more than doubles space in move to Ozark

Posted online

 Although Signarama franchisee owners Zern and Dani Vess have lived in Nixa for the past three years, moving their sign company this year to Christian County from its longtime home in Springfield wasn’t on their agenda.

“That wasn’t the plan. We wanted to stay in Springfield,” says Dani Vess, who has co-owned the 28-year-old local franchise with her husband since 2017.

Expanding, though, was in the plans, as the company, which has a list of services including producing and installing exterior and interior signage, graphic design and branding, was running out of room at its 3,600-square-foot 334 E. Chestnut St. leased location.

“We were looking for somewhere that we could expand. We were in pretty tight quarters there,” Zern Vess says.

Ozark became a candidate after Zern says economic development organization Show Me Christian County connected with Signarama, which led to the Vesses circling 1967 W. Boat St., the former location of The Home Brewery. The retailer for home brewing, wine-making and cheese-making was shuttered in April 2023 by business and building owners Todd and Sheri Fry, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. The property is around 7,500 square feet, Zern says, adding that includes its 5,000-square-foot building.

“[Show Me Christian County President and CEO] Kristen [Haseltine] kind of stayed with us pretty hot and heavy and this building was for lease and not for sale, and we had a big conversation,” Zern says, adding the property’s visibility from Highway 65 was a significant attractor. “Then they made the phone call, and the owner was like, ‘Yeah, I’d sell it.’”

The purchase price was around $785,000, Dani says, adding very little renovation was required prior to its April 1 move.

“We knew we could get stuff to fit, which gave us that opportunity to dress up the outside and paint the building,” Zern says. “It definitely gave us room to spread things out.”

An open house is planned for Oct. 2 with officials from the Nixa and Ozark chambers of commerce and Show Me Christian County expected to attend. The event also will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Install activity
The local franchise is one of six shops in Missouri for Signarama, which has over 700 locations worldwide, according to its website. It has a $49,500 franchise fee and requires an initial investment of $250,000-$300,000.

“When people ask what we do, we usually tell them that our job is to keep their branding consistent from the name tag to a billboard so that they don’t have to worry about that,” Zern says. “They can go be the professional at whatever they are and don’t have to worry about that part of their marketing.”

Exterior and interior signage makes up more than 50% of work at Signarama, with another roughly 15% for pylon signs, which are freestanding structures that typically are supported by one or two poles. Zern says much of the company’s remaining projects fall in miscellaneous areas, such as vehicle graphics, table covers, flags and branding of trade show-type materials, such as business cards, flyers and brochures.

Install work varies but is consistent, the Vesses say. Notable local clients include Bass Pro Shops, SRC Holdings Corp. and Russell Cellular Inc.

“Some days, we’ll get two in a day, and some of them will take a couple days to get installed,” Zern says, adding only 5% of its clients are wholesale with the remainder retail. “But the install calendar is pretty much booked up for about a month pretty regularly.”

“We’re pretty full to the end of the year,” Dani adds.

Summer Lampe, co-owner of Xtreme Exteriors Roofing & Siding LLC, says her Nixa-based company has worked with Signarama for about five years. The first job was custom vehicle wraps with the Xtreme Exteriors logo.

“That was 15-plus trucks, so they’ve done a lot of that work for us,” she says, adding Signarama’s work has extended to other locations for the residential and commercial contractor, which has five locations in four states.

Lampe says Signarama has completed numerous signage jobs for Xtreme Exteriors in the years since and has been tabbed to create new signs for the company’s new Nixa headquarters. The contracting company broke ground Sept. 11 on its $2.6 million, 13,000-square-foot project at 1351 W. Mount Vernon St., according to past reporting.

“Their process is smooth. We give them an idea or a want, and they submit us proofs to approve,” Lampe says. “Then they are very quick and efficient with installs. With a business like ours that grows quickly and needs things kind of immediately, they are always there and available.”

Financial boost
The sign company’s install activity has helped provide it a financial boost, reaching $1.27 million in revenue last year – a record since the Vesses purchased the franchise seven years ago.

“We’ve grown every year that we’ve had the business,” Zern says. “This year we are tracking to be higher. We had a really strong end of the year last year, so it’s going to be tough to beat, but we’re really proud of the team. They managed to stay at 10% growth through all the distractions of moving here.”

Even seven years into ownership, Dani says technology and industry changes keep her and Zern on their toes.

“We’re learning something new every day still,” she says.

The Ozark facility instantly felt like home after the move, Zern says, adding the property allows for a building expansion if future needs warrant it. However, no plans to do so are currently in the works.

“If we were going to expand, we have a little bit of expansion for interior production, like add more printers and production tables,” Zern says. “The only thing we would add is more stuff out back to bring in more equipment to do bigger fabrication.”

Comments

No comments on this story |
Please log in to add your comment

Comments

No comments on this story |
Please log in to add your comment
Editors' Pick
Open for Business: Good Pizza Co.

Good Pizza Co. settled into a semipermanent home at Metro Eats; Trinity Electric Co. was acquired; and Cantrell Real Estate relocated.

Most Read
SBJ.net Poll
Does your organization operate a diversity, equity and inclusion program?

*

View results

Update cookies preferences