A sign of growth; Precision Signs aiming to move to larger facility by September
Published 10:32 am Friday, February 19, 2016
Jon Boyer and his son, Matthew, stand in what used to be the Oasis Ballroom which Boyer is now transforming into a production facility for Precision Signs. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
An Austin business is showing steady signs of growth.
Precision Signs bought the former Oasis Ballroom and R.H. Grady Body Co. building at 1000 10th Drive SE and is renovating it into a 10,000-square-foot production facility.
The move will give the business more space than the roughly 4,000 square feet Boyer and his staff have now at 209 S. Main St.
“Our last three years have been phenomenal growth,” Precision Signs President Jon Boyer said. “We’ve had our best January ever.”
Precision Signs, which designs, builds and installs custom signs, should be fully operational in the new site by Sept. 1, though some operations could move sooner. Boyer wants to be in ahead of the company’s busiest season in September through December.
The plan is to move all 32 employees to the location.
Construction workers work on the roof of the old Oasis Ballroom, which is being converted to Precision Signs’ production facility.
“It’s going to put us all under one roof for starters, but also the whole flow of production is going to be greatly increased,” he said.
Offices will also be added at the site, and a second floor could later be built for additional office space.
Boyer also plan to put in some automated production equipment as well.
“It’s definitely a huge, huge makeover,” he said
Boyer also envisions eventually expanding with additional buildings on the property.
“It will be in phases,” Boyer said. “Getting in this building will be step one and then we’ll go from there.”
Boyer grew up in southern California, where he started a sign business in 1988 before selling the company and moving to Austin to start Precision Signs in 1996.
The business, which started in his garage, has grown to take on more and more national accounts with companies like Culver’s and AT&T.
”It’s been quite a journey,” Boyer said.
Work remains on the inside of what will be Precision Signs’ new production facility. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The building at 1000 10th Drive SE was built in 1930 and is getting a makeover with new siding, roof work and much more.
“We’re not tearing it down,” Boyer said. “This thing is a solid building and we’re going to make it beautiful.”
Boyer and his crew have seen more and more signs of the building’s history as the project has inched forward. They’ve seen wood floors from the ballroom, old signs as they took out trees and even stumbled on curb and gutter from an old street, Garfield Street, which used to run along the building, according to Boyer.
Boyer bought the building Sept. 1, 2015 from Big Bear Stores Inc. Boyer thanked his family and co-workers for their support and help, along with Raimann Construction and Farmers and Merchants Bank for their support.
Four of Boyer’s nine children also work with the business.
