MERIDIAN, Idaho — Commercial Tire Inc. has expanded its commercial tire service and retreading business with the acquisition of a GCR commercial service location/retread plant in Spokane, Wash., from Bridgestone Americas Inc.
Commercial Tire said acquiring these locations enhances its existing operations in Washington and provides capabilities to improve service to customers in northeast Washington and northern Idaho. The deal expands Commercial Tire's network of commercial-focused service locations to 29 throughout its coverage area of Idaho, Montana, Utah and Washington.
The deal — along with other recent divestments of GCR assets to Southern Tire Mart and Pomp's Tire & Service — essentially closes the books on GCR as a separate business after 77 years in business. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The GCR name is derived from the names of the business' founders — Balie Griffith, Harold Crawford and Perry Rose — who opened their first location in 1945 in Odessa, Texas. Bridgestone bought the business in 1988.
At its height, the GCR network comprised over 200 sales locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.
The other recent transactions involved Southern Tire Mart, 26 stores and five retread plants, and Pomp's Tire, 23 stores and five plants.
At the same time, Bridgestone has retained nine GCR stores and two retread plants that will operate under a revamped GCR Mining business unit.
