Past Humanitarians continue to invest in business, community

AKRON — In less than two weeks, the focus turns to the 2020 winner of the Tire Dealer Humanitarian Award.

That's when Tire Business will honor an independent tire dealer in North America for contributions to the betterment of his or her community through charitable and/or public service work.

For the first time in the 27-year history of the award, the dealer will be recognized virtually, thanks to the cancellation of this year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas amid restrictions on large gatherings related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year's winner will be recognized during the Tire Industry Association's (TIA) honors program, to be held Nov. 2 from noon to 1 p.m. EST. The Humanitarian Award winner receives an engraved medallion and $2,500 to be donated to the charity of his or her choice.

Humanitarian winners, however, not only invest in the charities they support, but they also invest heavily in the communities they serve.

The last three winners of the Humanitarian Award winners are a testament to that. Kent Olson (2017) of Olson Tire & Auto Service of Wausau, Wis.; Mark Smith (2018) of Midas of Richmond of Richmond, Va.; and Bob Kellogg (2019) of Warren Tire Service Center Inc. of Glen Falls, N.Y., have embarked on major expansions at their dealerships over the last 12 months, culminating with the Oct. 14 opening of Warren Tire's 15th location.

Olson Tire

Among the more ambitious expansions of the recent humanitarian winners has been that of Mr. Olson, president of Olson Tire.

A year ago, Olson Tire invested a little more than $1.3 million to add a state-of-the-art body shop and paint facility, complete with a global finishing system load rail system and an integrated paint booth.

The 10,000-sq.-ft. facility was built from the ground up, adjacent to his other two facilities: The original, 10,000-sq.-ft. service center, with 11 bays; and a 6,600-sq.-ft. detailing and car wash facility that services Olson Tire customers exclusively — it's not available for retail or external guests.

Since he opened the detailing facility a decade ago, Mr. Olson said his customers have asked him constantly for a referral to a trusted body shop.

"Then the combination of services required to fix today's cars requires so much more technical knowledge that it became a no brainer," he said of the decision to open the body shop.

"Now as they say — from soup to nuts — we do it all."

Mr. Olson said he had tried to partner with other body shops, "but they kept trying to steal all the service business."

Mr. Olson has hired four additional employees, giving him 26 total employees.

He said his operations manager at the new body shop, Traci Seeger, has performed exemplary.

Mr. Olson related how one of his friends brought in his vehicle for body work. Skeptical of Ms. Seeger's recommendation for the work that needed to be done on the vehicle, Mr. Olson said his friend went home and did a Google search.

"He called me after we finished and gushed about how (Ms. Seeger) was not only right," Mr. Olson said, "but that she even knew more than the 'Google' did about completing it correctly."

Business at his dealership has been steady and constant, he said, coronavirus be damned.

"We haven't slowed or changed a bit," he said. "In fact total sales and service are both up for the year, and new sales at the body shop are steady. It's a bit slower in tire sales but not drastic."

The issue, he said, is that the cost of doing business — the use of personal protective equipment, disinfectants and time spent preparing cars to service safely — has increased, adversely affecting profitability.

His newest undertaking is installing equipment to diagnosis/recalibrate Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, with an additional alignment rack. He said it requires significant training and equipment investment.

"It's required now on so many vehicles, especially now that we are replacing or repairing damaged vehicles," Mr. Olson said.

The body shop, he said, will continue to be successful.

"We have a great clientèle. Now they can think of one name for their vehicle needs — Olson."

Midas of Richmond

Meanwhile, Mr. Smith finally realized a long-standing goal for his dealership, opening a new shop in an existing building in the revitalized Scott's Addition area of Richmond.

Mr. Smith said he chased the dream to open the store — at "an incredible location in one of Richmond's hottest markets" — for three years.

Mr. Smith said he invested $1.19 million to acquire the real estate and another $1.85 for the build-out and equipment for the 16,000-sq.-ft. shop, his fifth location in the city. It opened Dec. 30, 2019.

The new store features eight bays with six lifts and a community room with an honor-system library.

Daniel Baber is the store manager, one of five employees at the store.

The store already has been a success: Mr. Smith reports sales of $20,000-$21,000 per week. And it already has been the site of a blood drive, one of the many humanitarian endeavors Mr. Smith and his dealership do for the community.

Coronavirus, he said, hasn't slowed his business.

"As with all our stores," he said, "it slowed us down in March and April. However, that is largely behind us."

Warren Tire

Warren Tire cut the ribbon on its newest dealership, located in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Oct. 12, and celebrated a small grand opening on Oct. 16. The 7,200-sq.-ft. store has eight bays.

With 15 locations, Warren Tire ranks among the 70 largest retail dealerships in the U.S. (See rankings, page 20)

Frank Chapman is the store manager of the new location, while Sam Cenci is the service manager, leading a staff of six.

Megan Kellogg, marketing manager at Warren Tire, said the dealership had always wanted to build a store in Saratoga Springs, a city of about 28,000 just north of Albany and a hub of thoroughbred horse racing and home of the Traverse Stakes horse race.

"It is a high traffic and tourist area because of the horse race track etc., and we finally found the perfect spot and opportunity to build a store there," Ms. Kellogg said.

"The town is constantly growing, and new neighborhoods and businesses pop up in the area, so we see a great and successful future ahead for the new Warren Tire in Saratoga Springs."

The pandemic delayed the store opening for two months, according to Ms. Kellogg, but once construction restarted, the rush was on to open in time for the stores annual Big Fall Sale in October.