Tire Discounters Inc.’s recent acquisition of Leete Tire and Auto, a four-store, Virginia-based chain, capped a big year of acquisitions for the rapidly expanding, Cincinnati, Ohio-based dealership, which now has 191 retail locations.
The Leete Tire deal, which was announced in mid-December, gives Tire Discounters 20 locations in the state of Virginia.
It was fourth tire dealership acquisition that Tire Discounters made during the final quarter of 2022 and the company’s 16th overall acquisition – excluding its purchase of a Cincinnati-based car wash chain – of 2022.
During last year's fourth quarter, Tire Discounters also acquired Dellinger’s Tire, a single-store dealership in Chesapeake, Va.; Fred’s Tire, a one-store dealership in Columbus, Ga.; and Arne’s Tire, which is based in Blairsville, Ga., and has one outlet.
Expanding its presence in Georgia has been a priority of Tire Discounters. During the second quarter of 2022, the company acquired three dealerships in the “Peach Tree State,” including Butler Tires and Wheels, a high-performance tire specialist with four stores in the Atlanta area; Hometown Tire, a single-store dealership in Monroe, Ga.; and another single-store dealership, Kedron Tire & Automotive, based in Peachtree, Ga.
During the second quarter of 2022, Tire Discounters also picked up two more dealerships in Virginia – Bobby's Tire & Automotive, which had one retail store and a commercial tire center, and Thompson Tire, a seven-outlet operation. The company also acquired Freeman Tire, a single-store dealership in Cookeville, Tenn.; Huddle Tire, a three-store chain in Ohio; and K&G Tire, a single-location dealership in Buckner, Tenn.
Tire Discounters remained busy during the third quarter, acquiring Shadden Tire, a three-store dealership in Crossville, Tenn.; Dyke Tire Pros, a single-store dealership in Richmond, Va.; and Koehler Tire, a single-store dealership in Madison, Ind.
Last year’s acquisitions pushed Tire Discounters above the 190-store mark, making it the seventh largest tire dealership in the United States, based on store count, according to MTD research.
Looking to the new year, the company is “on track to replicate last year’s growth – or more – due to our deep pipeline,” says Tire Discounters President and CEO Jamie Ward. “We are actively focusing on the Carolinas and Florida for more acquisitions and greenfield expansion.
“There are many family businesses in the U.S. that are craving options to preserve their legacy.”
Tire Discounters “is proud to provide options for these incredible businesses as we bring them into our extended family,” he adds.
Chip Wood, Tire Discounters' founder, is a past recipient of MTD's Tire Dealer of the Year Award. (MTD is accepting nominations for the 2023 Tire Dealer of the Year Award here.)
