The Howard Company Inc. celebrates their 65th anniversary in the display and menu board industry starting this month. From its humble beginnings, The Howard Company Inc. has grown to become an international supplier of menu boards and marketing materials. Today, the 100 percent employee-owned company is a key player in the food service industry while serving the point-of-purchase display needs of many Fortune 500 companies.
Established in 1950 by Al Howard, The Howard Company was primarily referred to as a point-of-purchase display advertising brokerage. With an in-house design staff, Al Howard and sales personnel developed and contracted for point-of-purchase display advertising pieces and programs for national advertisers. All production, assembly, and services other than art were purchased from outside vendors. The company was incorporated in 1957 as TheHoward Company Inc., continuing in the same line of business. Until 1986 all business was done on contractual basis. Display programs were developed, produced, and inventoried against contracts with national companies such as General Motors, Ford, Dr. Pepper, 7Up, and Sherwin Williams. In 1986 Mainstreet Menu Systems was introduced as a stock product based on fast food menu system experience the company had with Hardees, Dr. Pepper, Bonanza, and others. Our Mainstreet brand is recognized in the QSR industry as the market leader in indoor and outdoor menu boards. Our on-site engineering and development staff continue to expand our product line to include the latest technologies including VisionQuest indoor and outdoor digital menu systems.
Providing a proprietary, custom menu system was a natural outgrowth of the point-of-purchase experience. The Howard Company'sdesign, engineering, and project management expertise delivers major indoor and outdoor programs including installation services for national accounts like Arby's, Noodles & Company, TCBY Yogurt, White Castle, Yum! Brands and others.
“We’re more than just a printer. We’re business experts who know how to help customers find what they want quickly, improving sales and profits for our partners. We’re not tied to any tactic or technology and we’re always on the lookout to bring new ideas and technologies to the table,” says president and CEO Doug Watson.
