Our Co-CEO, Seth Sands, recently sat down with the Gain Traction Podcast to discuss scaling a business with integrity.

As in any industry, growth comes with its own challenges in the tire business. In this episode, we discuss how we’ve managed to scale while staying true to our core values, the strategies that have helped us grow sustainably and ethically, and the importance of building strong relationships and a solid team.

This conversation was an excellent opportunity to reflect on the journey and share some of the insights we’ve gained along the way.

You can listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/g9E5RHi2

By: Mike Magnes, in Modern Tire Dealer, July 2024 Issue

Many of the country’s largest independent tire dealerships have invested in new locations since the last edition of the MTD 100 was published in July 2023.

According to MTD research, Mavis Tire Express Services Corp., the largest independent tire dealership in the United States, went from reporting 2,029 locations at this time last year to having 2,115 stores. 

Mavis made headlines in June 2023 when it acquired nearly 600 Tire Kingdom Service Centers and NTB Tire and Service Centers stores from TBC Corp., which also marked TBC’s exit from company-owned retail. 

Discount Tire recently topped the 1,200-store mark, adding nearly 70 stores in the past 12 months, including 21 during 2024. In 2024, Discount Tire has added locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. 

The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based retailer acquired Buffalo, N.Y.-based Dunn Tire Corp’s retail stores – 25 in all – in September 2023. The purchase, which did not include Dunn Tire’s wholesale division, then known as presence in Pennsylvania.

The acquisition also marked a noteworthy departure from Discount Tire’s traditional “tires-only” model since all 25 former Dunn Tire retail stores offer auto service.

Around the same time, Discount Tire also acquired Ellisville Tire & Service, a single store dealership in Ellisville, Mo., part of the St. Louis metro area.

In April 2024. Discount Tire acquired another independent tire dealership. Suburban Tire Auto Repair Centers, a longtime Chicago. Ill., market mainstay with six locations that, like Dunn Tire and Ellisville Tire, offer auto service.

Discount Tire officials said that both Dunn Tire and Suburban Tire Auto Repair Centers will continue to operate under their historic names.

Bend, Ore.-based Les Schwab Tire Centers Inc. added nearly 30 stores in the last 12 months and made a major acquisition in June 2024 when it purchased CMC Tire, a commercial tire dealership with 11 locations throughout Utah, Colorado and Nevada.

CMC Tire, which was founded in 2014 by Michael Morast and Tommy Servine, also operated a Continental retread plant in Hurricane, Utah.

According to Les Schwab officials, CMC Tire, which “brings particular expertise in the commercial, mining and construction fields,” will continue to operate under the CMC banner.

Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc. has added 50 locations since the 2023 edition of the MTD 100 was published. During the second half of 2023, the Mesa, Ariz.-based chain opened five stores in the Houston, Texas, market.

Sun Auto Tire kicked off 2024 by acquiring Boyd’s Tire & Service, a seven-location dealership located in central Ohio, which marked Sun Auto Tire’s entry into that state.

In March, Sun Auto Tire continued its push into Texas by acquiring Carrollton Complete Automotive, a 13-year-old dealership in the Dallas/ Fort Worth metro area. The acquisition gave Sun Auto Tire 436 locations throughout 21 states.

Several months later, Sun Auto Tire expanded its footprint in Minnesota by opening a new TGK Tire & Auto store in Arden Hills, which had been a Big O Tires outlet. Sun Auto Tire acquired TGK in 2022, which marked its Minnesota debut.

Last month, Sun Auto Tire acquired 33 Caliber Auto Care locations in Texas from body shop giant Caliber Collision. Sixteen of those stores are in Dallas, 13 are in Houston and four are in San Antonio.

The Best-One Tire Group, which is based in Monroe, Ind., grew over the last 12 months.

In August 2023, Cullman, Ala.based McGriff Tire, which operates 18 locations throughout Alabama and Tennessee, joined Best-One. This development further extended BestOne’s reach into the southeastern U.S.

Big Brand Tire & Auto Service, which is based in Moorpark, Calif., and is owned by Percheron Capital, increased its number of stores from 202 in July 2023 to 207 stores.

Columbia, Miss.-based Southern Tire Mart LLC, the largest independent commercial tire dealership in the U.S., has expanded its footprint to 208 stores, a 30-store increase from July 2023, when the company acquired two dealerships in California: Country Tire & Wheel and Tulare Firestone.

Country Tire & Wheel had four locations, including two in Bakersfield, Calif., one in Fresno and another store in Taft, Calif. The dealership, which was founded in 1983, had been owned by Tommy Castro and Randy Scholl. Headquartered in Tulare, Calif., Tulare Firestone operated under the name of TF Tire & Service and had nine locations, including a wholesale division. It was owned by Lionel and Kevin Pires.

The two dealerships jointly owned Eco-T Tire & Retreading, a Bandag retread operation established in 2015. All Country Tire & Wheel, Tulare Firestone and Eco-T locations now do business under the Southern Tire Mart banner.

Tire Discounters Inc., which is based in Cincinnati, Ohio, continued to add locations, reaching 214 stores at press time.

During the first half of 2024, the dealership added locations in Ohio, Georgia and Tennessee and continues “to look for family-owned businesses that share our core values” as potential acquisitions.

Green Bay, Wis.-based Pomp’s Tire Service Inc. and Allen Park, Mich.based Belle Tire Distributors Ltd., also added locations, with Pomp’s expanding its reach by more than 50 outlets versus what was reported in the 2023 MTD 100 and Belle Tire adding four stores as it continues to strengthen its presence in the greater Chicago market.

Greenwood Village, Colo.-based Leeds West Groups increased its store count to 124 with the acquisition of six Big O Tires locations in Texas last month. Four of those stores are in San Antonio, one is in Selma, Texas, and the other is in Leon Valley, Texas.

Norwell, Mass.-based Sullivan Tire Co. Inc. added 11 locations during the last 12 months, boosting its footprint to 103 outlets. Last year, the company reopened its store in Damariscotta, Maine. In June 2024, Sullivan Tire acquired the assets of seven Stratham Tire locations located in Bangor and Auburn, Maine, and in Portsmouth and Brentwood, N.H.

The Stratham Tire locations have since been rebranded as Sullivan Tire stores. They will continue to provide auto service, while the Bangor, Auburn and Brentwood locations will also sell commercial truck tires.

AAA Club Alliance Inc., which does business as AAA/Bob Sumerel Tire & Service, AAA Care and AAA Tire & Service, increased its store count to 101 locations, a 12-store gain based on what was reported in the 2023 MTD 100.

Potosi, Mo.-based Purcell Tire & Rubber Co. added one location within the last 12 months, increasing its count to 78 stores.

McCarthy Tire Service Co. Inc., which is based in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., added a greenfield store in Newark, N.J., and in August 2023 acquired Dice’s Tire Service, a single-location dealership in Carlisle, Pa., from its owners, Trey Wible and Sherrie Fisher. The Dice Tire acquisition also gave McCarthy Tire another Bandag retread plant for a total of 14 retread shops. Excluding retread plants and distribution centers, McCarthy Tire now has 73 locations.

Auburn, Maine-based VIP Tires & Service opened a new store Lowell, Mass., in August 2023 and in March 2024 acquired Joe’s Tire Shop in Westbury, Conn., which marked VIP Tires & Service’s entry into Connecticut. VIP Tires & Service also opened a store in Brockton, Mass., last month. The dealership now has 70 locations.

Black’s Tire Service Inc., which is celebrating its 95th year in business, brought four new locations into its fold: Lugoff Tire, which is based in Lugoff, S.C.; Raynor Tire, based in Fayetteville, N.C.; Calabash Auto, based in Calabash, N.C.; and Columbia Commercial, which is based in Columbia, S.C. Black’s Tire, which is headquartered in Whiteville, N.C., now has nearly 60 locations.

Merdian, Idaho-based Commercial Tire Inc. added three stores in the last 12 months — one in Idaho, one in Utah and another in Washington – bringing its store count to 52 locations.

Based in The Dalles, Ore., Gills Point S Tire & Auto Service boosted its store count from 43 as of July 2023 to 71 locations by adding stores in Utah, Montana, New Hampshire, Idaho and Michigan.

Fort Worth, Texas-based Texas Tires LLC now has 49 locations, according to MTD research.

Bloomsburg, Pa.-based Steve Shannon Tire Co. Inc. added six locations in the past year, which boosted its store count to 43.

MTD research shows that Anaheim, Calif.-based AKH Co. Inc., which does business as Discount Tire Centers, now has 40 stores, and Northern Rock Automotive now has 58 locations. MEA Oil Co., which does business as Big O Tires in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma, now has 36 locations.

Rental Concepts LLC, which is based in Fayetteville, Ark., and does business as RNR Tire Express, now has 32 stores, up from 29 stores reported in the 2023 MTD 100.

Dayton, Ohio-based Grismer Tire Co., which does business as Grismer Tire & Auto Service, Detroit Tire and Dayton Tire Sales, opened a retail store in Lewis Center, Ohio, this past March. The greenfield outlet operates under the Grismer Tire banner and gives the dealership 28 total locations.

Goodturn Tire & Auto, which is based in Wellington, Fla., now has 27 locations. It acquired Naples, Fla.-based Collier Car Care this past April.

Another Big O Tires franchisee, SF Tire and Service Central Inc., which is based in Benicia, Calif., increased its store count from 25 to 27.

Webster Groves, Mo.-based Telle Tire & Auto Service Inc. increased its store count to 26. In July 2023, after the 2023 MTD 100 was published, Telle Tire opened a new store in Webster Groves, followed by the acquisition of Auto Clinic, a two-store business in Lee’s Summit, Mo.

In August 2023, Telle Tire acquired the assets of Car-Doc Automotive & Tire in Maryland Heights, Mo., and in November 2023, Telle Tire purchased Rasch Automotive Service Center in Kirkwood, Mo., which had operated in the St. Louis, Mo., suburb since 1944.

North Salt Lake, Utah-based Burt Brothers Tire & Service Inc. added four stores. They are located in Eagle Mountain, Utah; Coalville, Utah; Tooele, Utah; and Roy, Utah. The additions bring the dealership’s store count to 24. Pete’s Tire Barns Inc., which is based in Orange, Mass., added a location and now has 24 outlets.

Northwest Tire Inc., which is based in Bismarck, N.D., added a location, taking its current store count to 21. The dealership is building a commercial location in West Fargo, N.D., that will open in December or January.

Summit Capital Partners Automotive Services LP, an RNR Tire Express franchise, now has 22 locations, according to RNR Tire Express, up from 19 stores as listed in last year’s MTD 100. Birdsboro, Pa.-based Cf’s Tire & Automotive Inc. now has 18 locations, one more than reported in the 2023 MTD 100. Columbus, Ohio-based Katz Tire & Wheel also increased its number of stores from 17 to 18.

In addition, Central Arizona Automotive Group, a Mesa, Ariz.-based Big O Tires franchise, has 18 locations, a two-store increase from one year ago. And Addison, Ill.-based Cassidy Tire & Service now has 18 locations.

Lexington, Ky.-based S&S Firestone now has 15 non-warehouse locations, all of them commercial tire outlets. 

Wonderland Tire Co., which is headquartered in Byron Center, Mich., acquired Carter Tire & Automotive in Elkhart, Ind., located between Wonderland Tire’s stores in western Michigan and its Chicago store. Wonderland Tire reports that it currently has 14 locations in total.

Bluewell, W. Va.-based King Tire Service Inc., Tulsa, Okla.-based Robertson Tire Co. Inc. and McAllen, Texas-based Pueblo Tires Ltd. now have 14 stores each, according to MTD research.

Bruneel Point S Auto & Tire, which is based in Boise, Idaho, now has 13 non-warehouse locations. Frederick, Md.-based Rice Tire Co. also has 13 locations, having added a store in Camp Hill, Pa., during the last year.

by: Christian Hinton

Co-founders David Manning and Seth Sands recently launched Goodturn Tire & Auto, an automotive services platform focused on tire repair and maintenance services, which the duo said is comprised of a network of brands. Manning and Sands add they’ve been building the automotive services platform for nearly three years, completing 14 acquisitions to grow Goodturn’s footprint to 24 locations representing 10 brands, collectively serving approximately 90k customers in 2023.

“Our strategic approach to M&A has helped us establish a robust market presence across Florida, Michigan and North Carolina and we’re excited to continue to expand our reach under the Goodturn umbrella,” Manning said. “I am proud of the accomplishments we’ve achieved in just three years, fostering strong customer loyalty and an appreciation for our services, and I look forward to the next chapter of our expansion under this unified platform.”

As part of the launch, Manning and Sands appointed Christian Seem as president of Goodturn. Having most recently served as chief operating officer at Spotless Car Wash Brands, Seem brings over 20 years of experience across the multi-unit retail and auto-services industries.

“We’re proud to finally go to market with the launch of our new platform, Goodturn, and to officially welcome Christian as president,” Sands said. “The growth we’ve seen thus far is indicative of the strong conviction we place in our business model and exceptional team, proving our ability to scale in the highly fragmented automotive services market. We are eager to provide unparalleled auto services to a broader customer base, ensuring service and quality remain at the forefront of our commitment.”

Goodturn’s network of brands includes Adelphia Auto and Tire (FL), Apex Automotive (FL), Atlantic Tire & Service (NC), Chuck’s Garage Lansing (MI), Collier Car Care (FL), Golden Gate Tire & Service (FL), Great Bear Automotive (FL), Hal’s Auto Clinic (MI), Scott’s Tire & Service (FL) and The Detroit Garage (MI).

Original Article: https://www.tirereview.com/goodturn-tire-auto/

by: Mike Manges

Goodturn Tire & Auto is looking for more tire dealerships to add to its network, which currently includes 24 locations.

Founded by David Manning and Seth Sands, who previously worked in investment banking, Goodturn Tire & Auto has completed a number of tire and auto service center acquisitions throughout Florida, Michigan and North Carolina over the past three years.

The privately owned company finalized its latest purchase, the acquisition of Naples, Fla.-based Collier Car Care, last week.

Other holdings include Cary, N.C.-based Atlantic Tire & Service, which Goodturn Tire & Auto acquired from its founder, the late Anthony Blackman, in 2023; Lansing, Mich.-based Chuck’s Garage; Hal’s Auto Clinic and The Detroit Garage, both based in Michigan; and Adelphia Auto and Tire, Apex Automotive, Golden Gate Tire & Service, Scott’s Tire Service and Great Bear Automotive, all of which are located in Florida.

All stores within Goodturn Tire & Auto’s portfolio sell tires and provide automotive service, Manning told MTD in an exclusive interview.

“Goodturn is the holding company for our brands,” he said. “We’ve taken the approach that we want to invest in local brands on a local basis and then have something that’s a little broader across multiple markets.”

Sands told MTD that Goodturn Tire & Auto is looking for well-established tire dealerships and auto service centers with stellar reputations, whose owners want to exit the industry while preserving the legacy they have built.

“We don’t take on turnarounds,” he explained. “We really look to buy shops that are quality assets. We don’t want to grow just for the sake of growing. We want to have premier brands.”

“We tell everyone up front, ‘If you’re just looking for a price, we’re not the right buyer for you, but if you’re looking for someone to preserve your legacy and provide training and resources for your shop to grow and expand, we’re a great partner,'” said Manning.

Manning and Sands told MTD they made a deliberate decision to allow acquired dealerships to continue to operate under their own names and formats.

“Our belief is there’s a significant amount of brand equity in these shops,” said Manning, who added that with some larger acquirers, “there’s a desire to have a homogenous brand. We believe there’s something (positive) about preserving that local feel.”

He cited Atlantic Tire & Service as an example.

“The Atlantic Tire brand in the Raleigh/Durham, N.C., area has been around for 35 years. Anthony (Blackman) was 100% committed to his customers and his community” and built a business “that was respected.”

Manning added that Goodturn Tire & Auto “is still toying” with the idea of building greenfield locations, but has set its sights on growing through additional acquisitions with focus on the Midwest and Southeast.

“We think there are a lot of things we can do in the areas we’re in today.”

Goodturn Tire & Auto, which recently added Christian Seem, former chief operating officer at Spotless Car Wash Brands, to its executive team, does not have a store count goal. (Seem will serve as Goodturn Tire & Auto’s president.)

“In short order, we’ll announce … (that we have) close to 30 stores,” said Sands. “In five years, do we think we can be (at) 75 or 100 stores? Absolutely. But just adding stores” for its own sake “isn’t how we think about the business. What’s first is taking care of our customers and employees. Unit growth will follow by focusing on the right things.”

Original Article: https://www.moderntiredealer.com/retail/article/55020508/goodturn-tire-looks-to-grow-through-acquisitions

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Co-Founders David Manning and Seth Sands, today announced the official launch of Goodturn Tire & Auto (“Goodturn”), an automotive services platform focused on tire repair and maintenance services comprised of a network of premier brands.

David and Seth, Co-Founders of Goodturn, have been actively building the automotive services platform for nearly three years, completing 14 acquisitions to grow Goodturn’s footprint to 24 locations representing 10 brands, collectively serving approximately 90k customers in 2023.

David Manning, said, “Our strategic approach to M&A has helped us establish a robust market presence across Florida, Michigan, and North Carolina and we’re excited to continue to expand our reach under the Goodturn umbrella. I am proud of the accomplishments we’ve achieved in just three years, fostering strong customer loyalty and an appreciation for our services, and I look forward to the next chapter of our expansion under this unified platform.”

As part of the launch, David and Seth have appointed Christian Seem as President of Goodturn. Having most recently served as Chief Operating Officer at Spotless Car Wash Brands, Christian brings a wealth of knowledge, with over 20 years of experience across the multi-unit retail and auto-services industries.

Seth Sands, added, “We’re proud to finally go to market with the launch of our new platform, Goodturn, and to officially welcome Christian as President. The growth we’ve seen thus far is indicative of the strong conviction we place in our business model and exceptional team, proving our ability to scale in the highly fragmented automotive services market. Together with David, Christian and the entire team, we are eager to provide unparalleled auto services to a broader customer base, ensuring service and quality remain at the forefront of our commitment.”

Goodturn’s strong network of brands including, Adelphia Auto and Tire (FL), Apex Automotive (FL), Atlantic Tire & Service (NC), Chuck’s Garage Lansing (MI), Collier Car Care (FL), Golden Gate Tire & Service (FL), Great Bear Automotive (FL), Hal’s Auto Clinic (MI), Scott’s Tire & Service (FL), and The Detroit Garage (MI).

About Goodturn Tire & Auto

Goodturn Tire & Auto is a network of premier automotive maintenance, repair, and tire services brands across Florida, Michigan and North Carolina. Goodturn is committed to delivering exceptional service and keeping our customers safely on the road. For more information, please visit https://goodturnauto.com.

Contacts

Gagnier Communications
Lindsay Barber
lbarber@gagnierfc.com