Discount Tire

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Not to be confused with Tire Discounters.
Discount Tire Company
TypePrivate company
IndustryIndependent Tire Retailer
Founded1960; 61 years ago (1960)
Ann Arbor, Michigan, US
Headquarters
Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
Number of locations
1092 stores in 36 States (Dec. 2021)[1]
Key people
Bruce Halle, founder
Dean Muglia, CEO
Michael Zuieback, Executive chairman
Ed Kaminski, COO
Christian Roe, CFO
ProductsTires (new and used), Wheels, TPMS (tire pressure monitoring) Sensors, Lug Nuts, Windshield Wiper Blades
ServicesWheel and Tire Installation, Wheel and Tire Rotation and Balancing, Free Flat Tire Repair, Winter Tire Changeover, Free Tire Inspection, TPMS Sensor Installation/Relearn/Service, Lug Nut Replacement, Wiper Blade Installation
RevenueIncrease US$5.2 billion (2019)[2]
Number of employees
25,000-plus (2021)[3]
Websitediscounttire.com

Discount Tire Company is an independent tire and wheel retailer. Discount Tire operates in most of the Lower 48 states in the United States, and is the largest independent tire and wheel retailer in the world. The company is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.[1]

Discount Tire is known as America's Tire in Northern and Central California, along with the Greater Los Angeles Area and the Coachella Valley, because of the pre-existence of the unrelated 36-store Discount Tire & Service Centers chain in Southern California, and an independent tire shop known as Discount Tire in the Bay Area suburb of Concord, which opened in 1992 before DTC began to move into that market. In San Diego County, they operate as Discount Tire. The America's Tire name, while used as an alternate brand, is thus used as a complimentary slogan in the company's advertising. The company also operates as Discount Tire in Ohio and surrounding states despite the existence of the rival Tire Discounters chain; the two chains are unrelated despite the similar names.

Company history[]

Discount Tire was founded in 1960, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, by Bruce T. Halle. After a couple of false starts in other businesses, Halle decided to go into business on his own. He rented an old plumbing supply building on Stadium Boulevard in Ann Arbor.[4] Halle tidied up the place and hung a sign outside that displayed his stock of six tires (two new and four retreads), and waited for new business. It took three days before Halle received his first customer, and four more before he sold his first tire. Halle admitted to having no real business plan in place when he first opened his doors.[5]

The company grew to over 200 stores by 1990 and opened its 500th store in 2002. On September 10, 2018, Discount Tire opened its 1000th store, a location in Phoenix, AZ.[6] Discount Tire entered the northeast market with a location in Pittsburgh, PA in February 2020.

Discount Tire grew from a one-man operation into the largest retailer of tires and wheels in the world.[7][8] Its growth has been largely attributed to the company's focus on reasonable prices, customer service, and its satisfaction guarantee.[9] Halle understood that for a company to excel in a commodity market, product differentiation was a non-starter and that improving the customer experience could greatly improve the brand's value to consumers.[10]

Halle attributed the company's overall growth and success to its employees, for exhibiting the founder's philosophy: treat people with respect and fairness, always do what is right, care for those in need, work hard, be responsible and have fun.[11] The company built its philosophy around its employees rather than its customers because, as they see it, happy employees make happy customers, not the other way around. Halle taught that success comes from focusing on what each person owes to his family, to future employees and to the next customer coming in the door. Everyone has an unbreakable contract to pay forward to the next customer, the next employee and the next generation.[10] For this reason, Halle promised his employees, "Do a good job, and I’ll provide lifelong opportunity for you."[10]

In the Spring of 2021, Discount Tire started selling Trico windshield wiper blades, its first product sold other than tires or wheels.

Discount Tire announced its acquisition of Tire Rack in December 2021.[3]

Marketing[]

In 2005, Discount Tire's "Thank You" commercial entered the Guinness World Records as longest continuously running TV commercial.[12][13] This commercial depicts an old woman played by Maxine Olmstead[14] hurling a tire through a Discount Tire store window as the voice-over says, "If ever you’re not satisfied with one of our tires, please feel free to bring it back. Thank you."[15] The ad first aired in 1975.

Discount Tire sponsors the No. 2 Ford Mustang for Brad Keselowski in the NASCAR Cup Series, and the No. 22 Mustang for Austin Cindric in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Team Penske. It also sponsors Monster Energy AMA Supercross.[16]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Discount Tire corporate Retrieved Dec. 2021
  2. ^ Discount Tire on Forbes Retrieved June 15, 2021
  3. ^ a b "Discount Tire Is Acquiring Tire Rack". www.moderntiredealer.com. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  4. ^ "10,000 Discount Tire Employees Live on Kronos for Retail". Business Wire. January 17, 2005. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
  5. ^ "Store of Discount Tire Co. Founder Should Inspire Other Entrepreneures". May 9, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  6. ^ Company Milestones Retrieved March 7, 2015
  7. ^ "Discount Tire on the Forbes America's Largest Private Companies List". Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  8. ^ Modern Tire Dealer Top 100 for 2014 Archived March 8, 2015, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved March 7, 2015
  9. ^ "Bruce Halle—His philosophy: 'To treat people fairly and to just be nice'". September 29, 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  10. ^ a b c Rosenbaum, Michael. "Six Tires, No Plan". Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2012
  11. ^ "Discount Tire Corporate – Vision And Values". July 23, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  12. ^ "Longest running TV commercial". Guinness World Records. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  13. ^ "Classic Discount Tire Commercial Earns Guinness World Record for Longest Running TV Commercial and Makes It into the 50th Anniversary Book". Business Wire. October 12, 2004. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
  14. ^ Ruelas, Richard. "Bruce Halle and Discount Tire's historic TV ad". AZCentral.com. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  15. ^ "Awards & Recognition" (Press release). Discount Tire Company. January 5, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  16. ^ Discount Tire Sponsorships Retrieved March 7, 2015
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