Every once in a while, after we complete a successful fence installation project, a satisfied customer will ask one of our family members about the name YABOO FENCE.
We’ll hear things like:
- “What was your inspiration for naming the company ‘Yaboo Fence’?
- Is “Yaboo” an ancient name from a distant country?
- Is it a family symbol of prosperity and success?
- Is it a subtle way to rank better in search engines alongside Yahoo News?”
None of those. It was an accident. We wanted to be first in the phone book, and the phone company took our ad request wrong.
But there’s much more to the story. To learn more about Yaboo Fence, our fourth-generation, family-owned company, and how our quirky name became synonymous with superior quality residential/commercial fencing products and services, keep reading.
1955-1965
Circa 1955, our Great Grandfather, Anthony __, moved from Hudson NY to Piermont, NY. He started his career working on the original Tappan Zee Bridge in 1955. This was a time of great vision for the future of Rockland County’s infrastructure. At the time, the construction of the newly minted “Tappan Zee Bridge” – with its 3-mile span from Westchester to Rockland – was one of the grandest construction projects of that era.
As Anthony gained experience in the construction industry, he began formally working with Anchor Fence Company, still in operation today. Circa 1965, as he continued to learn the trade, he worked in the evenings on his own small venture, ABOO FENCE. He decided on the name as something that would show up in the traditional print phone book first under the listings for “Fence Construction”. At the time, there were only a few other fence companies in the area. Competition was fierce.
Why ABOO as a name? To rank higher than other companies with more prominence (and save money on ad space), he surmised that a percentage of residents of the area seeking fence installation would call the first listing they see in the phone book. At that time in history, phone book listings were in alphabetical order. In the 1950’s, the word “Google” was merely something babies babbled from their cribs when they were in a good mood.
Unfortunately, when Anthony called the phone company to place the listing for his business venture, the phone book company recorded it incorrectly. They wrote the listing as “YABOO FENCE”. Yet, in our Grandfather’s true “Anthony” fashion, he took it in stride, and stuck with YABOO as the official name for the fence company.
Thus, YABOO FENCE was born.
Growing a Family Company
Anthony soon began working with his son “Buzzy” (our Grandfather). Together, they built fence after fence…one by one…for any residents in Rockland County NY that needed their service.
While Anthony was a superb fence installation technician, Buzzy brought a new skill set into the company. His go-getter attitude and spirit, along with his natural ability to make friends, allowed YABOO FENCE to be noticed by larger and larger clients in the Hudson Valley region.
While the split between residential and commercial fencing at that time was 80/20% for YABOO FENCE, this ratio began to lean further toward commercial projects. One of the first such larger projects was the West Point Motor Pool. After this project was completed, the door began to further open to other opportunities for additional commercial projects. Utility companies such as Orange and Rockland and regional organizations, municipalities and companies began to request our services, and the company steadily grew each year.
1965-1980
At home, Anthony’s Wife Elaine (our Great Grandmother) did her part for the family and the business by taking care of the children, as well as answering phones for YABOO FENCE service inquiries. As the kids matured, they helped Anthony and their brother Buzzy cut slats in the fences and take measurements. Elaine’s own brothers, notably Great Uncle Frank, also helped with this work.
As the company grew busier and busier, YABOO FENCE hired more workers, organized them into multiple crews, and were given assignments daily.
Anthony, Elaine, and the children remained in Rockland County NY, moving the home and company a few times in the early years to follow. Tappan and Orangeburg served as suitable locations until a more permanent location was found to grow the company, in West Nyack NY. The company’s main headquarters has operated there since the early 1970s.
In 1971, YABOO FENCE CO. was officially incorporated. At that same time, Buzzy’s children Matt and Joe (our Fathers) were still young. Little did they know that one day they would be running the company. Together with Anthony and Buzzy, the family would take on the projects that every other company was hesitant to take. With risk came reward, and with rewards came the resources to expand even further. Additional satellite locations have be set up over the years for supply housing, such as the High Street location.
From a very young age, Matt and Joe helped the family with projects. As a result, the company culture continued to grow around the several generations of family members. That’s the ultimate in sustainability. At YABOO FENCE, there is a sense of belonging to something that stands for quality, honest work, and camaraderie with one’s crew, with one’s clients…with one’s family.
1980-Today
Since 1980, YABOO FENCE CO. has been a woman-owned business. Our Grandmother Elaine is the CEO, and she guides the organization with grace, vision, and honesty.
Fast forward to the 21st century, and YABOO FENCE is now comprised of second, third, and even FOURTH generation family members. Why not? If we’re good at something, we keep doing it. We have expanded crews to over 60 employees at the time of this writing, along with fleets of trucks, and multiple shop locations.
Starting in 2005, YABOO FENCE clients included a significantly larger percentage of commercial and industrial projects. Some examples of the work we have done over the years include baseball and sports fields throughout Clarkstown, Ramapo and North Rockland, including NY Boulders Stadium. We work with many municipalities and school districts across the tri-state area.
Projects in New York City have included the New York City Parks Department, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Con Edison. We’ve built security fences for Fishkill Jail, Sing Sing Prison, Taconic Correctional Facility, and the Columbia County Courthouse.
We’ve conducted projects for multi-national Corporations such as Federal Express, Delta Airlines, Merlin Entertainment (LEGOLAND). We’ve worked alongside many notable General Contractors on subways, office complexes, multi-unit residential dwellings, La Guardia Airport, as well as destinations such as Randalls and Governor’s Island.
Closer to home, we’ve given back to our Community. We are proudly affiliated with Keep Rockland Beautiful, Adopt a Highway, the Walk Against Suicide – and we are charitable toward local Firehouses, Little League organizations, school clubs, and with many local Churches.
And in full-circle fashion, in recent years we have worked on the Tappan Zee bridge (As we will refer to it, with great appreciation).
YABOO FENCE – Today
The workday for us can start as early as 5 am, but the satisfaction of a job well done is worth it.
With over sixty employees in a union-friendly environment, YABOO FENCE’S Open Shop Employer practices are well-respected as an example in our industry. This environment is maintained throughout our company, with our family values as a guiding force. Each and every day, we are truly thankful for the quality and dedication our employees bring to their work.
Our services and product lines have expanded to automated gates, security fences and guard rails, highway construction projects such as that of the Palisades Parkway area near Bear Mountain State Park.
Further abroad in the United States, we’ve worked on projects such as the GLX Railroad in Cambridge MA.
In every project from the Canadian Border to Coney Island, we at YABOO FENCE know that each of our valued clients depend on us to ensure that their project is conducted with the greatest possible standards – from the homeowner seeking to create more comfort and security for his family, to the company expecting the proper infrastructure construction surrounding their vast facilities. This has been instilled in us for generations – through the example and wisdom of Anthony, Elaine, Frank, Buzzy, Matt, and many more in our organization.
Our aim is always to ensure that the customer is fully satisfied with the work that is asked of us. Yet from 5 am until dusk, our history of quality service, family values, and honest company culture holds true in each project, and with each client we serve.
Let YABOO FENCE help you build your field of dreams.
Give us a call at (845) 358-0118 or start designing your fence now.
