Plaza Tire Service Inc. has opened a six-bay store in Mt. Vernon, Ill. The Mt. Vernon location is the ninth Plaza Tire Service facility in Illinois and brings the company to a total of 57 stores.
“We’re excited to bring Plaza Tire Service to Mt. Vernon,” says Mark Rhodes, president of Plaza Tire Service. “We have been doing business in Southern Illinois since 1978, and this opportunity to grow into Mt. Vernon was one we couldn’t pass up.”
Plaza Tire Service credits its customer-focused approach for consistent growth throughout its 52-year history. The company strives to make the tire-buying experience easy and hassle-free by focusing on five key areas:
1. Employing knowledgeable associates.
2. Keeping a large inventory on-hand at each store.
3. Using state-of-the-art equipment and technology.
4. Offering competitive pricing and a price-match guarantee.
5. Giving an option for flexible payment terms through the Plaza Tire Service card.
In addition, the company worked with Hunter Engineering Co. and Autoplan Plus Inc. to ensure the facility layout is optimal for both customers and employees.
“People have options, and we want to make the overall experience at Plaza Tire Service one that cements us as the top choice for our customers,” says Scott Rhodes, vice president of Plaza Tire Service.
“The research we have done with Hunter and Autoplan has made a difference in how we build our stores. Our showrooms are free of clutter. Customers can come in and go straight to the sales counter. We have windows into the shop, so customers can see what the technicians are doing.
“In the shop, 3-D modeling has helped us identify opportunities for efficiency. The changes we have made help reduce time wasted by our employees running back and forth. This is good for us from a business standpoint, and also for our customers who want to get on with the rest of their day,” says Scott Rhodes.
Outside of the showroom, the service bays are equipped with the industry’s highest quality machinery to handle services including tire installations and repairs, wheel balancing, alignments, brakes, shock and strut replacements, oil changes, battery replacements and more. The Mt. Vernon location is also equipped to perform fluid flushes for transmissions, power steering systems, coolant systems and brake systems.
Plaza Tire Service is an authorized retailer for all major brands. The company keeps a wide variety of name brand tires including Bridgestone, Yokohama, Firestone, Michelin, Toyo, BFGoodrich, Pirelli, Falken, Nokian, Dick Cepek and others. Additionally, Plaza Tire Service keeps an extensive selection of less expensive bargain tires.
“Our goal is to make the tire-buying experience a one-stop endeavor,” says Mark Rhodes. “We keep our stores loaded with a large selection in all the most popular sizes. We have tires at varying price points because our customers have different priorities. Whatever the customer needs, our goal is to have it available for immediate installation so they can be in, out and on their way.”
Plaza Tire Service operates eight other stores throughout southern Illinois in the communities of Anna, Benton, Carbondale, DuQuoin, Marion, Metropolis, Murphysboro and Sparta.
Plaza Tire Service has 57 stores spread throughout metro St. Louis, mid-Missouri, southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, western Kentucky and northeast Arkansas.
For a complete list of locations, visit www.PlazaTireService.com.
Plaza Tire Service is a family-owned company based in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Founded in 1963 by Vernon Rhodes, the company is owned today by his sons – Mark Rhodes and Scott Rhodes.
Plaza Tire Service ranks 19th on the 2015 Modern Tire Dealer 100 list of the top independent tire retailers in the United States.
