CHARLOTTE, N.C. (April 25, 2013) — Meineke Car Care Centers Inc. has acquired Walt's Auto Care Centers, a chain of 19 car repair shops in Washington and Idaho, in an effort to advance its presence in the Pacific Northwest.
Meineke, a division of Driven Brands Inc., said the deal, made public on April 23, will merge the 19 Walt's locations—17 in the greater Seattle-Tacoma market, one in Olympia, Wash., and another in Boise, Idaho—with the Meineke brand.
"We are excited about the opportunity to grow the Meineke brand in the Northwest through the acquisition of Walt's Auto Care Centers. We are confident the conversion to the Meineke brand will capitalize on Walt's historical presence and customer service, resulting in a win-win for both customers and franchisees in the region," said Paul Clayton, president of Meineke.
"Driven Brands is continuously exploring various ways to grow in attractive markets where our brand has room to expand both geographically and through consumer awareness," Driven Brands CEO Jonathan Fitzpatrick said.
"We make no secret of our commitment to growth, and part of that is the acquisition of other brands or independents to accelerate the exposure of the Meineke brand."
Meineke said Walt's storefronts will be rebranded as Meineke Car Care Centers within the next few months.
Meineke's online store locator shows nine Meineke locations in the Seattle area, 10 in and around Boise and 10 in the greater Portland, Ore., metro area.