MOBERLY, Mo. — Plaza Tire Service has opened its 60th retail store, a seven-bay location in Moberly, a city of about 14,000 located halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City.
The 5,400-sq.-ft. store, a greenfield project that took six months to complete, is Plaza's eighth in central Missouri, the Cape Girardeau, Mo.-based dealership said.
It features large windows into the service bays, complimentary WiFi and other key customer amenities, according to Vice President Scott Rhodes. The facility also features state-of-the-art equipment for tire installations and repairs, wheel balancing, alignments, brakes, shock and strut replacements, oil changes, battery replacements and other services. Plaza did not disclose its investment in the new store.
"As we build new stores, we're always looking for opportunities to make the workflow as efficient as possible for our employees and to make the showroom and waiting area open and welcoming for customers," Mr. Rhodes said.
"We see a lot of opportunity in Moberly‚" Plaza Tire President Mark Rhodes said. "We have been serving the Mid-Missouri market since 2004, and we are excited to be open and serving the residents of Moberly."
The new store — which extends Plaza Tire's footprint farther to the west and north — is managed by longtime Plaza Tire Service employee Steve St. Clair, who is a resident of the Moberly area. The store opened with six employees.
The Moberly opening is the second new store opening of the past four months.
Plaza Tire is considered the 17th largest retail tire dealership in the U.S., according to Tire Business research, based on the number of stores — 45 in Missouri, nine in Illinois, four in Kentucky and two in Arkansas.