SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Nov. 11, 2011) — Discount Tire Co. Inc. opened seven stores in the past few weeks and relocated its original store, in Ann Arbor, Mich., to an enlarged site nearby.
The latest openings — two in Texas and single stores in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois and Oregon — push the company past the 810 mark in stores nationwide.
The two openings in Texas, in Kyle and Victoria, expand Discount's presence in that state to 217 stores.
Justin Netherton, a 19-year Discount Tire veteran, is managing the Kyle store and its employees, while Rory Motley, a 25-year DTC veteran, is managing the Victoria store and its 16 employees.
The stores in San Diego, Calif., and Wilsonville, Ore., do business as America's Tire, the identity Discount Tire uses on the West Coast. The San Diego store is DTC's 127th outlet in California, has 14 employees and is managed by Don Elder, a 20-year veteran. The Wilsonville location, managed by 15-year veteran Stephen Flores, has seven employees and is DTC's 30th in Oregon.
The other new stores are:
- Machesney Park, Ill., No. 32 in Illinois; eight employees; managed by 9-year veteran Jose Contreras.
- Lafayette, Colo.; No. 47 in Colorado; 19 employees; managed by 32-year veteran Robert Wahl.
- Rockledge, Fla.; No. 25 in Florida; eight employees; managed by 14-year veteran Andy Abendroth.
In Ann Arbor, DTC relocated the dealership's first store, opened in 1960, to a location with twice the interior space — 6,000 square feet — and quadruple the parking space about four miles from the original site, the company said.
Company founder Bruce Halle opened that first store with six tires in inventory and no air compressor, DTC said.
Kevin Ehmann brings 30 years' experience to the store manager's job. The store's 15 employees relocated as well.
The outlet reflects DTC's latest store design, including automatic tire inflation machines designed specifically for Discount Tire that protect employees, shield expensive wheels from damage and inflate tires to the precise air pressure.
Discount has 57 stores in Michigan.