Princeton, Ind.-based Southern Indiana Tire Inc. has closed its Benton, Ill., Southern Illinois Tire retail outlet, but plans to add 20,000-square-feet to its hometown warehouse.
The Benton store was in an area also served by Southern Illinois Tire retail shops in Marion and Mount Vernon, Ill., according to Paul Weaver, Southern Indiana Tire president. (Southern Indiana Tire operates under the Southern Illinois Tire name in that state.)
"We consolidated a little bit," he says.
Benton employees were transferred to other outlets.
The 21-outlet retail and commercial dealership also has added a 2,000-square-foot building to its Marion facility and bought a lot next to its Mount Vernon store for future expansion.
Southern Indiana Tire opened a new store in Breese, Ill., on Jan. 1, which operates under the Best One Tire & Service banner established by The Zurcher Group in June 2000. (Southern Indiana Tire is a Zurcher Group partner-dealer.)
Prior to that, the company's most recent opening was another Best One outlet in Henderson, Ky., some 10 months ago.
Southern Indiana Tire also is in the process of moving its Ownesboro, Ky., retread plant to its headquarters in Princeton, Weaver says.
