Manley: Sounds of bygone era ring in small tire shop

It's strange in a way that certain senses trigger certain memories. For instance, the smell of fresh-cut grass reminds me of the album "Superunknown" from the band Soundgarden, because I listened to that compact disc on a Sony Discman during an entire teenage summer of cutting the lawn.

I went to East Palestine, Ohio, recently to interview the town's only tire dealer and learn how the Norfolk Southern train derailment has affected business. Hint, it's not great.

Since the derailment, Tom's Tire owner Harry Jones said business has been cut in half. About half of his customers come from out-of-town, and right now, there is a stigma to East Palestine that it is unsafe.

What I found was a business, and a town, that largely has gone back to their normal routines. Nothing is on fire and the town doesn't smell. The longterm impact is unknown, especially the environmental effect.

Jones seems like a nice, easy-going and direct person. He's a grinder, a trait that many in the tire industry, especially shop owners, seem to possess. Jones has worked at the shop since he was a teenager — "started sweeping floors when I was 12" — and bought the business from its original owner in 2008.

He's a true owner/operator who runs the counter and works on vehicles during the day, and handles the paperwork at night. On the weekends, he, his wife and their two sons travel and compete in the regional dirt bike racing circuit.

Tom's Tire is an older shop — established in 1973 — and it looks it, though one could argue it is just full of character. The building is red with a low white stripe, and the daily tire deliveries get stacked near the service bays.

Out front, there are two older twin-pumps and a sign reading the day's fuel prices. Tom's is a full-service gas station, and when a customer pulls up, a bell rings to alert the staff.

When visiting a tire shop, the experience is largely about sound — as anyone who has tried to talk on the phone in a service shop can attest. At Tom's, there are many sounds, like torque wrenches and griding wheels, but it was the "ding-ding" alerting the staff of a full-service gas customer that stuck with me.

A few days later, when I sat down to write the story, someone rang my doorbell. The sound instantly made me think of Tom's Tire and the "ding-ding" of full service fueling.

I'll be honest: I have never gotten gas at a full-service station. In fact, nowadays, it is almost uncomfortable if a stranger approaches your vehicle. But Jones said customers enjoy it. He said it's very convenient for people if they don't want to get out of the car, especially if they have health issues or children in the car.

Jones also was quick to point out he doesn't charge for full-service, and his prices are generally a few cents lower than other area stations. After spending time around the shop, it's clear that it runs efficiently — jobs are by appointment only — and the pumps are no different. It's quick to fuel up.

There aren't many of these stations left as pump safety has improved, more vehicle repair warranties require service at the dealership, and fuel price-margins are razor thin.

New Jersey and most of Oregon have laws in place prohibiting self-service at the pump. In Oregon, the state said it's for safety, the convenience of older or handicapped people, and to maintain those jobs. In New Jersey, its long-time law was aimed to protect small stations and is considered a political "third-rail" that many aren't interested in addressing.

Elsewhere they exist, too, but it's hard to track down how many.

The "filling attendant" is akin to holding a real newspaper in your hands — a throwback to a simpler time.

And at 50 years old, Tom's Tires itself is a throwback.

Let's hope the bells keep ringing for many years ahead.