Hart Advertising began in 1943 with William T. Hart. He started with only 100 signs. Over the next 30 years, Mr. Hart bought over 10 companies, including The Advertiser and Carter Christy, to expand into what is now the core of the business which includes over a thousand signs. In the early 1980’s, expansion by acquisition was augmented by the gradual conversion of old wooden frame structures into modern single-pole steel structures with lighting.

William’s children Gay Sanders and W. Taylor Hart continued to successfully operate the business until W. Taylor Hart decided to retire in 2015. He chose to keep it a family owned business and sought out the Keyes family who were long-time industry friends of the Hart’s and have had a family owned billboard business in Dayton since the ’50s; called Key-Ads, Inc.

The Keyes Family purchased Hart Advertising’s assets in October of 2015. The collaboration between the experienced Hart Advertising and Key-Ads employees has led to making many updates to the existing inventory and the development of a number of new billboard locations. Hart Advertising entered the Digital OOH era in 2016 with the Rt. 250 Perkins Township Gateway Feature Digital Bulletin. The newest digital expansion came in the form of a Lighthouse! Hart added the Rt. 6 Huron Township Gateway Feature Digital Bulletin in 2018.