Amplify Outdoor debuts new digital billboard in Lanett
BY SAM VISE
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LANETT — Local business leaders and community members gathered at 2314 Broad Ave. in Lanett to celebrate the unveiling of a new 10-by-30-foot digital billboard brought to Chambers County by Amplify Outdoor.
The ribbon cutting was hosted by local community organization The Valley Local on Sept. 4.
For Adrian Buice, owner and founder of Amplify Outdoor, bringing the state-of-the-art digital display to Lanett marks a full-circle career milestone deeply rooted in family history.
“This is a dream come true,” Buice said. “I’ve been in the billboard business for 20 years now. Back in 2009, my grandfather built the first digital billboard in Valley, right there at Bryan’s Transmission. I ran that for seven years, so I am pumped to start this next chapter in my career kind of right here where it all started.”
Following his time managing his grandfather’s initial billboard, Buice spent years working with New South Outdoor, helping install more than 200 signage structures across Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. Last fall, he decided to branch out on his own.
“As of October of last year, I kind of stepped out on my own with Amplify Outdoor,” Buice said. “I wanted to get my start in this industry right here where it all began. So in October, I spoke to Mr. Danny [the landowner] and asked him for a chance. He said yes, and we’ve been working on this for almost a year.”
During his remarks to the crowd, Buice thanked his faith, the landowner, city officials and his wife, Dakota, noting that the project overcame early hurdles to reach completion.
“I didn’t think this day would ever come,” Buice said. “There’s been a lot of resistance on the front end, but man, it’s beautiful. The community has been incredibly receptive and supportive of it. A lot of local businesses have reached out. We’re almost full on one side of it... there’s a lot of good traffic on it.”
Civic and municipal representatives were on hand to celebrate the addition, including Lanett Mayor Jamie Heard and representatives from LaFayette Main Street. Heard addressed the crowd to welcome the project, thanking Buice and calling the display another positive step forward for the city of Lanett.
Organizers and attendees said physical outdoor displays provide a reliable alternative at a time when digital clutter and shifting algorithms make reaching an audience unpredictable.
Sara Crutchfield, director of The Valley Local, co-founded the organization alongside her husband, C.J., with a mission to help area merchants grow. During the event, she highlighted how outdoor signage bypasses the limitations of online platforms.
“Billboard advertising is great for local businesses and organizations with getting information to the community, as we know firsthand how social media can fail you from time to time,” Crutchfield said. “We often hear, ‘I didn’t see it on social media,’ because in today’s time, everybody feels social media is the only way to get news. But this gives opportunity for businesses and organizations to also advertise because people are still traveling down the road, and that’s something you won’t miss.”
Crutchfield said she is excited to see the impact the new billboard will have on local visibility.
“I’m thankful he chose Chambers County to put it in,” she said.
With traffic rolling along Broad Avenue and commercial inventory already filling up, Amplify Outdoor’s new display is positioned to serve as a prominent hub for area businesses, civic announcements and community events.
