02-28-2009 TOBY TOBIN ENTERS 26TH YEAR ON RADIO He�s a genuine Kansas City icon. You could call him the George Brett of house and home. What�s funny is that many folks probably wouldn�t know him if they ran into him. However, they do immediately recognize his distinctive voice. He�s Toby Tobin. On March 1 he will have been on the radio airwaves on Saturday mornings for 26 years on 980 KMBZ. His father started the radio show in 1963 and turned it over to Toby in 1982.Between them a Tobin has been giving Kansas Citians house, lawn and garden tips for about 45 years. It�s the trusted voice of experience. Toby Tobin is the nice guy in the neighborhood you go to with questions about your house, lawn and garden and trust everything he says. He and his brother opened Tobin�s Lawn and Landscape in 1978. The business today serves thousands in the KC area. An entire generation of Kansas Citians has grown up listening to his radio show on KMBZ Saturday mornings from 6-10 a.m. His Web site (http://tobytobin.com/index.php) highlights all the products he endorses. Visitors can even sign up to be �Friends of Toby.� The actual show is an infomercial with callers. It is a four-hour sales pitch interspersed with useful tips.Listeners don�t seem to care. His wife, EJ, produces the show. "Helping people is the coolest part of doing this show,� says Tobin. � It's what keeps me motivated. We give great advice and direct people to get the help they need from people and companies that do great work at a fair price." His guests---many of whom have been on his show for years�come across more like old friends chatting about their business. They pay a fee to come on his show knowing full well an endorsement by Tobin can increase their sales dramatically. Tobin is quick to point out he does not endorse any products that he does not use himself. Discussions oflawn products like Hummert and Earth Right effortlessly transition to a discussion of the latest sale at Louisburg Ford or a plug for Toby�s favorite Solar Comfort Heater. "I have had a waiting list of people who want to come on the show for years," he said on a recent show. In fact, the store �Nuts and Bolts Hardware�in Overland Park carries virtually every product that Tobin endorses. You can even sign up for a �Toby Tobin 10% Bonus Card� for discounts on purchases. He�s so popular these days that he is a multi-media star. His fans can listen to him on the radio and turn on KSHB-TV and watch him give �Tips from Toby� between 8 and 9 a.m. on Saturdays. It's not easy being an icon. But Toby Tobin seems to be handling it well these days.
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