About

Thomas Sign Advertising was founded in 1941 in Manhattan, Kansas by Blaine Thomas. What began with a lettering brush and hand-painted storefront windows steadily grew into a full-service sign company, eventually expanding into billboard advertising across Kansas.



As the business grew, Blaine’s son, Bart Thomas, joined the company and helped guide its expansion. In 1986, Jim Wells became part of the team, learning and working in every aspect of the sign industry over the years.

In 1998, Blaine decided it was time to step back. Bart Thomas and Jim Wells purchased the billboard division and formed Thomas Outdoor Signs and Graphics, while another long-time, dedicated employee acquired the electrical and illuminated signage division, forming Thomas Sign Service. While operating as separate companies occasionally caused confusion due to the shared “Thomas” name, it ultimately proved worthwhile because of the strong reputation and trust the name carries in the community.

Bart and Jim later brought Layton Thomas, Bart’s son, into the business. Together, they grew the company to more than 400 billboards across Kansas while continuing to serve Manhattan’s local signage needs.

Managing such a large billboard operation from a small shop—and keeping up with the varying legal requirements of numerous municipalities—eventually became impractical. In 2021, the billboard assets were sold. Following the sale, the business downsized to focus on traditional sign services, and Bart chose to retire.

Today, Jim Wells owns and operates the company as a full-service sign shop, proudly continuing a tradition that began more than 80 years ago—serving the Manhattan community with quality signage, craftsmanship, and personal service.