LAKE GEORGE, N.Y.-Lake George-based Tire Warehouse Inc. has changed its name to The Tire-Brake Distributor Inc. The change allows the 12-year-old dealership to move into the New England market already occupied by, among others, Keene, N.H.-based Tire Warehouse Central Inc., while more accurately reflecting the nature of the company's business, according to President John McCall.
``Everybody knew us for tires but not for the other things we do,'' including brake and front-end work, Mr. McCall said.
Since the name change was implemented about eight months ago, service work has increased by about 30 percent at the company's Pittsfield, N.H., outlet, located about 10 miles east of Concord, he said.
The Tire-Brake Distributor, which, besides the Pittsfield location, operates 14 stores primarily in northeastern New York, intends to continue expanding into New England in 1995 with at least one additional outlet, Mr. McCall said.
Firmly entrenched in that market, however, is Tire Warehouse Central, operating 25 company-owned and 16 franchise locations in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and New York.
Instead of using the Tire Warehouse name in New York and a different name in New England, Mr. McCall said, the company decided to amend its name throughout the organization.
``The new name allows us to put forth our expansion plan into the New England market with a uniform advertising program (and) reinforces the image to our customers that we are a brake and front-end specialist...,'' Mr. McCall said. The company's advertising campaign includes print, radio and television spots, he added.
This past year the company also began expanding westward by opening a retail outlet in Oneonta, N.Y. The firm plans on opening an outlet in southern New York in 1995, Mr. McCall said.