What is GB Auto Service Inc. up to as the year winds down? When last we checked, it was ranked No. 14 on the Modern Tire Dealer 100 list of top independent retail tire dealers in the U.S.
The umbrella for a number of automotive service chains, GB Auto Service is a division of Greenbriar Equity Group LP. In less than two years, the private equity firm has acquired the following tire dealerships and automotive service outlets:
- Evans Tire & Service Centers Inc., 18 stores;
- Tire Works Total Car Care, 15 stores;
- Ramona Tire Inc., 17 stores;
- Brakemax Car Care Centers of Arizona, which goes to market as Brake Max Tire & Service Centers, 15 stores;
- Driver’s Edge Complete Auto Care, 18 stores; and
- Lamb's Tire & Automotive Centers, 18 stores.
The purchase of Lamb's gave the company 84 independent tire outlets in the southwestern United States.
MTD caught up with Chris Wyborny, formerly vice president of Ramona Tire and now GB Auto's regional vice president, at the recent Global Tire Expo in Las Vegas. We asked him if there was any news to report on the expansion front.
All he would say is the company has "a number of deals in the works west of the Mississippi."
GB Auto is 48 outlets behind Rent A Wheel/Rent A Tire LP, which is ranked sixth on the MTD 100.
At one time, Greenbriar was an investment partner in American Tire Distributors Inc., before selling its interest to TPG Capital in 2010.
