Discount Tire edges closer to 1,000th store opening

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Discount Tire/America's Tire is on track to surpass the 1,000 store mark by this summer at the latest, following the opening of 31 stores across the U.S. in the past five months.

The stores opened — in 18 states — bring the Scottsdale-based dealership's network to nearly 980 stores, with more under construction.

Among the store openings was Discount Tire's first in Alabama, in Madison, along with eight in Texas, four in Virginia and two each in California, Tennessee and Wisconsin. The stores in California use the dealership's America's Tire brand.

Texas remains the dealership's No. 1 market, with 249 stores, followed by California with 140 and Arizona with 72.

The openings in Virginia doubled Discount Tire's footprint in the Old Dominion State to seven.

Discount Tire has stores in 34 states and last year announced it was targeting Pennsylvania as the next where it would operate, starting in the Pittsburgh area.

By state, the new stores opened since September, and their opening dates, are:

• Alabama — Madison (Oct. 4);

• Arizona — Tolleson (Jan. 19);

• California — Coachella (Nov. 13); and Palo Alto (Nov. 8);

• Colorado — Littleton (Oct. 11);

• Florida — Jacksonville (Dec. 20);

• Georgia — Fort Oglethorpe (Dec. 29);

• Kansas — Wichita (Jan. 26)

• Michigan — Wyoming (Nov. 11);

• Montana — Helena—(Jan. 19);

• North Carolina — Greenville (Jan. 31);

• Ohio — Lima (Dec. 28);

• Oklahoma — Oklahoma City (Dec. 6);

• South Carolina — Aiken (Feb. 9);

• Tennessee — Hixson (Nov. 13); and Memphis (Jan. 18);

• Texas — Balch Springs (Nov. 2); Clute (Nov. 29); Houston (Dec. 12 and 29): Livingston (Dec. 22); Mission (Oct. 10); Palmhurst (Dec. 29); and Wylie (Dec. 22);

• Utah — Saratoga Springs (Oct. 11);

• Virginia — Colonial Heights (Nov. 2); Newport News (Dec. 2); Virginia Beach (Dec. 26); and Williamsburg (Nov. 16);

• Wisconsin — Janesville (Nov. 2); and Waukesha (Oct. 26)

Discount Tire did not disclose size, staffing details or the cost of the new stores. The dealership's stores typically span 7,000-plus square feet with six to eight service bays and 12 to 15 employees.

Discount Tire declined to say when it expects to open the 1,000th store or which store it might be.

Company founder Bruce Halle — who died Jan. 4 at age 87 — broached the idea of Discount Tire's growing to 1,000 stores in an interview with Tire Business in 2008.