Entrepreneur puts up billboard ad in Chicago to find love

One 49-year-old North Carolina entrepreneur is taking his search for a soul-mate to the dusty highways of Chicago by advertising on a giant billboard that he is looking for love.

'I'm Gordon! Let's have dinner!' the billboard says. It is accompanied by a picture of the eligible bachelor and a website address he set up to help him in his quest, HelpGordyFindLove.com. So far, he has had about 15-20 "solid" applicants.

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“If you think about it, somebody spends $100,000 on their education, right? And how much for a house? Fifty grand for a car? So then they say, ‘Well, I won’t spend a few thousand dollars to find the love of my life?’” Gordon Engle explains of his motivation to CBS. “Well, that’s kind of backwards.”

Despite the fact that the well-travelled, successful and wealthy Engle lives in North Carolina, he took out an ad in Chicago because he often works in the city. Being somewhat of a romantic, he notes that his parents met there.

The divorcee claims to have tried online dating in the past, but had nothing but frustrating experiences, which lead him to "drop some real coin for a billboard." When quizzed about the potential to appear desperate, he shoot back.

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“When Match.com came out 10 years ago, when people were telling their friends, ‘I’m going to put my profile up on the Internet for the world to see,’ people were going, ‘What? On the Internet? Are you desperate?’” Engle tells WGN.

His website includes testimonials from friends and images of Engle enjoying his hobbies such as travelling, cooking and guitar playing.

What are your thoughts on Engle's unique approach to finding love? Tactful or tacky? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.