Bridgestone Americas Inc. plans to expand its menu of electric and hybrid vehicle services at nearly 45 of its company-owned stores. Markets include San Francisco, Calif., and Austin, Texas.
Here’s a little history lesson for the young people. Bridgestone Corp. was not always the largest tire company in the world. The acquisition of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. in 1988 helped make it the largest.
As store counts increase, so do overall sales. But independent tire dealers are profitably expanding into new areas. Company-owned outlets are buying their way in. Big difference.
With 2,800 company-owned stores between them, two of the world’s largest tire makers are making big investments in their retail spaces. They’re experimenting with everything from store design and vehicle check-in procedures to finding the best employee uniforms and coffee machines for customer waiting areas.
