AKRON — RNR Tire Express franchisee Robert Behar held a grand opening June 15 of his latest location, a six-bay RNR Tire Express center in south Akron, showcasing what the franchise has to offer customers.
RNR Tire Express, a national franchisor of a rent-to-own tire and custom wheel retail business founded in 2000 by Larry Sutton in Tampa, is closing in on 200 franchised locations in nearly 30 states.
Behar, CEO, founder and chairman of Summit Capital Partners in Houston, owns the Akron franchise as well as several other RNR Tire Express centers across Ohio, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan. In addition to the Akron location, Behar's RNR centers in Ohio are located in Boardman, Cincinnati, Dayton, Delaware, Fairfield, Huber Heights, Lancasater, Marion, Springfield, Toledo, and Zanesville,
The company is known for its rent-to-buy purchasing options for tires and wheels. It includes options for weekly, semi-weekly or monthly payment plans. RNR focuses on helping people who may not be able to purchase an expensive set of tires but still need to replace tires on a vehicle.
Customers visiting the Akron location will find a newly constructed building with a waiting room, a showroom filled with tires and wheels and a staff of six working to meet the customer's tire and wheel needs, according to RNR.
The 2,4560-sq-ft. property formerly was a Nickles Bakery Thrift Store.
RNR also offers tire installation, balancing, alignments and flat repair.
"We did our research and feel the Akron Canton and surrounding areas meet our demographics and feel the populations in the area would embrace and benefit from our unique value proposition," Scott Robertson, vice president of operations for RNR Tire, said.
The concept is a "no-credit needed, everyone's approved mentality." Customers only need to have a valid driver's license or state ID, a vehicle registration and a pay stub to verify employment.
Robertson said the location has been open since April and customer feedback has been "fantastic."
The open house included food trucks, a remote broadcast from a local radio station, giveaways and a chance to enter a contest to win a set of tires.
Among the brand of tires RNR Tire Express stocks include AMP, Hankook, Kumho, Nexen, and Yokohama, The company said it also can order other brands as requested.
RNR opened 15 franchise locations in 2023.
