When you drive by most buildings and parking lots, you probably are only concerned with your destination.

You may be looking for something inside or just enjoying the view.

But if you take a look around, you might notice signs outside most of your stopping points.

They took more work than you might think.

The sign at the Tyrrell County Visitors Center bears some special artwork above “Tyrrell County”. “Rest Area” and Visitors Center” jump out when you look closely.

Pat Mansfield, a NCDOT official explained how the work on the sign got started.

Mansfield mentioned that the Department of Transportation owns the rest area.

“In Columbia’s case, there is a Visitor’s Center attached to our rest area. Any signage on the area we are responsible for because it is our property. We put a sign up for the property,which is a rest area and a visitor’s center combination. We do different facelifts at all our rest areas all during the year. We worked with Bryant Signs in Columbia for the location in Tyrrell County,” said Mansfield.

Jerome Bryant, an area resident, runs Bryant Signs,a sign making business based in Columbia, North Carolina.

Bryant works with his friend Timothy Fenner and his son Jeron with the various aspects of constructing the signs.

“They help me install them,put them in the ground, and get all the sand blasting done.We specialize in sand blasted signs but we also do vinyl signs, air brushed, 3D, murals,” explained Bryant.

Working on the signs takes different specifications according to what the owner wants.

“Sometimes the sign has to be painted. We spray the background different colors if they want it. Most of the time they get the sign double sided or what we call a singled-sided sign with lettering on one side,” said Bryant.

The signs made by Bryant Signs are made of special material.

“We used a man-made material now that is called sign foam. We used to use a lot of red cedar and red wood to do the sand-blasted signs. They made the people quit cutting those type of trees and they came out with a man-made material that comes in four by eight or four by ten sheets. We shape the signs to whatever size we want to make them with the material,” said Bryant

Signs from projects done years ago are checked on periodically.

“We usually recoat them anywhere from five to six years after they are put out.Usually after they have been put up, and we repaint them a second time, then the paint will hold up a lot longer. This is because the paint has got some base to hold onto,” said Bryant.

Bryant does the artwork for Bryant Signs.

“I usually sit down and think of what I want to do. I put it down on paper in a sketch. Then I present it to the people I am trying to sell the job to. If they like it, I usually give them at least two choices,” said Bryant.

Bryant mentioned that he does work across the state

“I do signs through the Greenville area to Virginia. I also do work all across northeastern North Carolina. We also do work on the Outer Banks. There is at least one or two jobs a week. Sometimes if we are working on a big job, it takes maybe three weeks so we just work on it and get it finished,” said Bryant

For more info on Bryant Signs check out: http://bryantsigns.webs.com/aboutus.htm