PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — TBC Corp. plans to open seven NTB Tire & Service Centers over the next five months, continuing the brand's steady growth of the past few years.
TBC said the new stores would be opened in markets where it already has a presence, but it declined to be more specific.
The company operates roughly 450 locations in 23 states throughout the eastern U.S. after divesting 44 locations recently to Big O Tires franchisee Mark Rhee.
TBC also operates 190-plus Tire Kingdom stores in Florida and 75 Merchant's Tire & Auto stores in Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C.
TBC noted that it has opened 27 new NTB locations and relocated four over the past 20 months.
Among these openings in 2017 and late 2016 were stores in: Decatur, Ala.; Marietta, Ga.; Chicago; Dedham, Mass.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Arden Hills, Brooklyn Park and Cottage Grove, Minn. (since sold in the Mark Rhee transaction); Clover, Indian Land, Lexington and Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Chattanooga and Cleveland, Tenn.
"We continue to evaluate opportunities to aggressively expand the NTB brand in markets that strategically align with our underlying mission to exceed customer expectations," TBC President and CEO Erik Olsen said.
"The NTB brand's equity is very strong and resonates with consumers as a destination for outstanding service and top quality tire, battery and oil brands. We look forward to even more growth in the near future as NTB is a core asset in TBC's growth strategy."
TBC said it will continue to operate NTB locations in Missouri, where it sold nine locations in the greater St. Louis area to Mr. Rhee. The other stores sold were in Iowa, Kansas and Minnesota.