Wilbers selling Gold Country and Kool Kat Oldies to Tolletts

PITTSFIELD TWP. — Radio stations WOBL and WDLW are changing hands, but not formats. Doug and Lorie Wilber have owned the Gold Country and Kool Kat Oldies stations for the better part of a half-century. Now they are starting to prepare for retirement, but intend to stay on the next couple of years to help new owner Gary Tollett. Tollett, 43, of Sheffield Lake, said paperwork has been filed with the Federal Communications Commission for the change of ownership, and his big worry is dispelling rumors the Lorain County stations are closing. "We are not going anywhere," he said Thursday. "Nothing is changing right now. It is just a transition period." Tollett started out in 2005 as an intern at the radio stations on U.S. Route 20 and joked that he "failed" when he jumped on air as an afternoon drive host. In the 15 years since, he's operated a U-Haul location in Cleveland and sold cars in Elyria. Tollett returned to WOBL and WDLW in January "to get back to the dream job," he said. It was "time to get back to my roots and what I love to do," he said. Throughout 2020, Tollett has jumped on the mic to provide high school football color commentary and fill in where needed. He also serves as general sales manager. Doug Wilber said he started thinking about selling the stations about five years ago, and there have been as many interested parties that haven't worked out. "It was really important to me that the station would be able to continue in the vein we've been running it for the past 50 years," he said. Tollett brought passion and energy to the equation, and would keep ownership local — exactly what the Wilbers had been looking for, he said. Tollett will co-own the stations with his wife, Renee, and pledged that 1320 AM and 107.7 FM will continue playing classic country tunes, while 1380 AM and 98.9 FM will keep playing oldies. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.