WATERTOWN, Mass.—After nearly 18 years operating four stores in the Boston metro area, Direct Tire & Auto Service recently broke ground to build its fifth store.
The Watertown-based dealership said it is building a 7,300-sq.-ft., eight-bay store in Medway.
“We are very excited about this long-awaited location and we hope to open on Nov. 1, 2015, just in time for our winter selling season,” said Direct Tire CEO Barry Steinberg.
Besides its original store, founded in 1974 in Watertown, Direct Tire operates locations in Norwood, Peabody and Natick, Mass.
Mr. Steinberg said it was the right time and opportunity to open another store.
“The last time we opened an outlet was 18 years ago. I'm just pretty fussy when it comes to locations,” he told Tire Business.
“In the Boston market, real estate is just completely out of control. If there's a good location, either a CVS or Walgreen's is buying it. It just escalated the price of real estate ridiculously. This one came up and I just jumped on it before anybody else did,” he said.
“It's a great location....The market is in need of some competition out there. And for me, I'm celebrating my 40th year (in business) and 70th birthday—I need something to get me excited, so this is getting me excited,” he said.
The store is being built by a busy Massachusetts Route 109. An Advance Auto Parts store is being built on the same property and will share a parking lot with the Direct Tire store — similar to Direct Tire's Norwood location.
“It works out really well,” Mr. Steinberg said. “Not that we do a lot of business with Advance...but it brings a lot of traffic to the parking lot, which is good for us.”
Mr. Steinberg wouldn't divulge the price for the new store but said he is already looking at additional locations.
“I'm always looking.... Boston is a big market. There could be 10 Direct Tires in my opinion.”