In 1929 Layman Smith started Smith Radio in the basement of a Fayetteville furniture store on the downtown square of scenic Fayetteville, AR. Mr. Smith sold and repaired cabinet style AM radios that were at the time the nation’s source for up-to-date news, as well as entertainment.

In the 1940s Mr. Smith began to work with two-way radio systems with a company who was a pioneer in two-way radio communications - Motorola. Smith Radio was selected as the local service and repair center by Motorola. The area was so rural at that time, and roads were so poor, that Mr. Smith often used his airplane to fly to remote parts of the area to repair two-way radio systems for local utility companies.

By the time of the ‘70s the family business was diversified into several businesses. These included a LaFayette Electronics store on College Avenue in Fayetteville. There were also cable TV operations – a service that Mr. Smith was a pioneer in.

During the 80s the company took on new directions. After the untimely death of Paul Smith, Layman’s son, the two-way radio division was placed under the direction of Paul’s son Michael. Upon Layman’s death in the late 80s, the business grew to focus specifically on wireless communications under the direction of it’s new President, Michael Smith.

Today, Smith Two-Way Radio is still growing and venturing into new arenas of wireless communications. We are no more just “two-way radio,” as our name might imply. Our expertise surrounds all aspects of wireless communications, whether data or voice, or whether land based or satellite. If its wireless, we do it!

How we define a customer - Our History