MAYFIELD, Ky. — Plaza Tire Service, which operates 70 retail stores in Missouri and three neighboring states, escaped the impact of a line of tornadoes and severe weather that left a path of destruction in eight states on Dec. 10 and 11.
Plaza Tire has a store in Mayfield, but it was not in the path of a tornado that devastated the town of 10,000 in southwest Kentucky, according to Plaza Tire President Mark Rhodes.
He told Tire Business that the Mayfield store, and another store in nearby Benton, Ky., both lost power over the weekend. Today, the Mayfield store is operating with a generator and the Benton store had its power restored.
There were no reports of injuries or loss of homes among his employees, Mr. Rhodes said.
Both shops are offering free flat repairs to anyone and free services to emergency vehicles.
"It's the least we can do," Mr. Rhodes said, referring to the documented devastation in Mayfield, in particular.
The dealerships also are offering their parking lots as collection sites for donated supplies to help storm victims.
The weekend storms, including a tornado that ripped a 250-mile path across four-states, created a swath of destruction across eight states in the central, southern and midwestern U.S. and could be responsible for more than 100 deaths.
Plaza Tire, which has stores in Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri, recently agreed to be acquired by Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc.
This is a developing story.
