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Local Voices

Son Follows in Father's Footsteps to Open Family's Second Signarama Store

Signarama Plans Large Growth Throughout Florida

(Clearwater, Fla.) – Mike Mangone, 25, has a unique insight into owning his own business. His parents, father Mark and mother Sheree, have owned and operated their Signarama location in St. Petersburg, Fla. since 2001. Mangone grew up around the business and has amassed over a decade of experience in the industry and with Signarama in particular. In partnership with his parents, he just reopened the Clearwater Signarama location at 30145 U.S. Highway 19 North on Feb. 10. Signarama currently has four locations in Florida and hopes to open a total of 60 locations throughout the state within five years.  

“I am excited to reopen the Signarama location in Clearwater, which has been part of the Palm Harbor, Clearwater and Largo communities since 2001,” he said. “I know from experience that Signarama is a wonderful company and I am proud to join it as an owner in my own right.”

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Mangone graduated from the University of Central Florida in Orlando in 2010 with a degree in marketing. Over the last 13 years he has watched his parents’ St. Petersburg location experience the recession and economic recovery which has left him even more confident about his business. “They went through both up and down cycles, just as other businesses have,” he explained. “As small business people, we understand these issues and use that experience to help customers spend their marketing dollars wisely in any economy.”

Signarama is the world’s largest sign franchise. The business provides comprehensive sign and graphic services to consumers and commercial customers—from digital, neon, LED and pylon signs to vehicle wraps, banners and monument signs.

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Mangone knows Signarama is uniquely suited to helping businesses and customers whether or not they are still feeling the effects of the recession. “In a tight economy, we can recommend more basic, economical solutions to short-term goals. In times of growth, we can help with major rebranding campaigns or new product launches, projects with more elaborate strategies to help reach aggressive growth goals. Either way, we are here to provide solutions that give our customer impact, on time and within budget.”

Now that his store is open, Mangone is working quickly to building on existing relationships with Clearwater clients who have worked with the family’s St. Petersburg location and establishing new ones in the communities he serves. Alongside Clearwater, Mangone’s new business will also serve Palm Harbor, Largo, Dunedin, Town ‘N’ Country, East Lake and Countryside, Fla. He is focusing on day-to-day sales and marketing elements that will help him reintroduce Signarama to his community. He is already hearing from previous customers with new needs.

“The community is ready for us and we are ready for them,” he said. “We can’t wait to open our doors.”

Approaching 900 locations worldwide, Signarama was founded in 1986 by Ray Titus and his father, franchising pioneer, Roy Titus. The company expects to open 300 more locations worldwide, 100 in the U.S., through the end of 2014 and have more than 1,200 locations worldwide by the end of 2016.  For more information, visit http://www.ssar.com.

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