Signs guide us, inform us, and alert us. They convey messages: You are here. For sale. Coming soon. Bridge out ahead. Signs help us make decisions. They keep us moving in the right direction. We hung our first sign in 1919 to announce that George Blanchard and Francis Calhoun had joined forces to meet the real estate and insurance needs of Augusta’s citizens. Over the past century, we’ve commissioned countless signs: to announce new developments, to catch the eye of prospective clients, to direct people to the buildings where we conduct business. While the name of our original sign maker is lost to history, we have worked with Spears Signs since founder Chester Spears began creating custom pieces of art in the 1940s to promote businesses and advertise products. He marked each sign a star, his simple signature. Jamie Spears is the third generation of the Spears family to run the company, taking over the family business his grandfather started more than 75 years ago. When we need a sign, we turn to Jamie … just like Big George did with Chester. Because to us, buying a sign is more than a transaction; it’s a tradition.