Merchant's now NTB in N.C., S.C.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (March 17, 2016) — TBC Corp. has rebranded 29 Merchant's Tire & Auto Centers stores in North and South Carolina to NTB Tire & Service Centers, a change TBC said is meant to enhance the NTB brand.

The rebranding initiative, carried out over the past several months, included refreshing the stores' exterior, redesigning their interiors and promoting the change via a “New Name, Same Great Service” integrated marketing plan, TBC said.

The Palm Beach Gardens-based retailer and wholesaler did not disclose its investment in the conversion.

TBC continues to operate 80-plus Merchant's Tire outlets in Maryland and Virginia and said there are no plans to convert these as well.  

TBC acquired Merchant's Tire in 2003, at which there were 112 Merchant's locations in six Eastern Seaboard states and Washington D.C.

“We are pleased with the conversion in the North and South Carolina markets and we are confident our customers will be too,” said Markus Hockenson, senior vice president of retail operations.

“The new NTB locations will continue to offer customers the same excellence in customer service, premier workmanship and value-priced services our customers have come to expect.”

The rebranding raises the number of NTB stores to 480 in 26 states, including 64 former Tire Kingdom-branded stores in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Vermont that TBC converted a year ago.

TBC also operates 180 Tire Kingdom stores in Florida and is the franchisor of the Big O Tires program — which numbers 391 outlets in 19 states — and the Midas International and Speedee Oil Change programs.