DES MOINES, Iowa (Feb. 7, 2017) — Midas International Franchisee Alan Mahrt has committed to spend $6 million throughout 2017 to upgrade his network of 42 Midas stores across six Midwestern states.
The initiative comes on the heels of an ambitious 2016 when Mr. Mahrt's company, Auto Systems Experts Inc., opened eight Midas locations, including a two-story, eight-bay 5,500-sq.-ft. shop in Ankeny — a Des Moines suburb — that Mr. Mahrt calls "my baby." The facility represents a $1.6 million investment and is equipped with LED lighting and all of the latest equipment.
The Auto Systems Experts network of stores are in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma, according to Midas franchisor TBC Corp.
Mr. Mahrt's commitment to upgrade his stores coincides with TBC's initiatives to drive tire sales through the Midas network.
Mike Gould, the former TBC executive who oversaw the Midas franchise program before retiring last year, said in early 2016, "The future of our brand is in tires and auto service.