Mavis buys Sun Tire of Jacksonville, adding 11 stores in Florida

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mavis Discount Tire has acquired Sun Tire & Automotive Service of Jacksonville, expanding its growing network of retail outlets in Florida to 25.

Terms of the transaction, which was finalized late last week, were not disclosed. Sun Tire Founder Dick Erickson is no longer associated with the business, a Mavis spokesman said.

Sun Tire operates nine stores in Jacksonville and two in Tallahassee. The stores will continue to operate under the Sun Tire name for the foreseeable future, a spokesman said.

The deal is Mavis' third acquisition in Florida this year. In January it closed a deal to buy Kauffman Tire Inc.'s retail business — 57 stores in Georgia and 12 in Florida.

Mavis also recently took over a pair of stores in the Jacksonville area from AutoSpot Tire Pros and has rebadged them Mavis Tire.

Mavis itself is in the process of merging with Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers, a deal that will create a group with more than 870 locations in 24 states along the East Coast and throughout the South and Midwest.

The deal is expected to close before mid-year.

Express Oil operates 18 stores in Florida with one due to open soon, bringing the combined retail Mavis/Express Oil presence in the Sunshine State to 44 locations when the store in Bradenton opens.

The Mavis spokesman said the company is excited about being able to acquire a business with a highly regarded market presence.

Mr. Erickson founded Sun Tire in 1981 and built the business to 11 stores over the past 37 years.