HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (Oct. 27, 2015) — Big O Tires franchisees Golden West Tire Centers/Southland Tire have acquired nine Big O stores in Colorado from longtime Big O franchisees Kevin and Valerie Brooks, expanding their combined network to 26 stores.
Golden West Tire Board Member Robert Curry said the deal has been in the works for a few months, since Big O held its franchise owners conference earlier this year in Las Vegas.
The deal makes Golden West Tire/Southland Tire — the two businesses have cross ownership and operate as a single entity — the largest Big O franchisee. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.
- This article appears in the Oct. 26 print edition of Tire Business.
The deal closed in mid-September after Golden West spent several months performing due diligence, including environmental surveys of the properties, which are on Colorado's West Slope — areas west of the continental divide.
Mike Baynes, proprietor of Auto Center Sales/Lube Center Sales, brokered the deal and helped arrange financing, Mr. Curry said. Golden West/Southland is leasing the stores.
Gerald Greco, COO of Golden West/Southland, will oversee the Colorado stores for the franchise, Mr. Curry said. The business partners established a new entity, GWTC L.L.C., in Colorado to handle their business interests there, he added.