Discount Tire

The Reinalt-Thomas Corporation, doing business as Discount Tire and America's Tire, is an American tire and wheel retailer. It operates in 38 of the lower 48 states, and headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Founded in 1960, it is considered the largest independent retailer of tires and wheels in the world.

Company History

Founding and initial growth

Discount Tire Company was founded by Bruce Halle as a tire shop in 1960, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Halle had taken out a $400 loan to open the store, originally having six tires from a previous failed automotive supply company. In 1970, the company expanded to Arizona, with its headquarters being built in Scottsdale, Arizona. The company grew to over 200 stores by 1990 and opened its 500th store in 2002.

Tom Englert succeeded Halle as CEO in 2004, having initially started as a store employee three decades prior. In 2015, he stepped down and was replaced by Michael Zuieback, the stepson of Halle.

On September 10, 2018, the 1000th store was opened in Phoenix, Arizona.

Further expansion and diversification

In 2020, Dean Muglia succeeded Zuieback as CEO, although Zuieback remained the executive chairman. Muglia stated that "nothing is off the table" in regard to future services, where the company had initially provided solely tire and wheel services.

A store was opened in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in February 2020, marking the company's entry into the northeastern United States.

In mid-2021, Discount Tire partnered with Trico and began selling windshield wiper blades. It then acquired Tire Rack on December 31, 2021. This was followed by the acquisition of Dunn Tire, a chain of full-service maintenance shops, on September 30, 2023, expanding their presence to New York. In April 2024, Discount Tire acquired Suburban Tire Auto Repair Centers, a chain of automotive shops serving the Chicago metropolitan area.

On December 27, 2022, Discount Tire announced it would be building a new headquarters in Phoenix. As of 2024, it is still under construction.

Products

While Discount Tire does not manufacture tires, it sells brands made by external manufacturers as "exclusive" tires. Some manufacturers like Yokohama Tire sell exclusive models to Discount Tire, while still having other tires available with other retailers.

Corporate identity

Regional names

Discount Tire operates as America's Tire in regions where other entities already use the same or similar name. This includes a majority of California, and other isolated instances such as in northeastern Pennsylvania.

After the purchasing of Dunn Tire, Discount Tire elected to keep Dunn Tire operating under its current name and branding.

Marketing

Commercials

In 2005, Discount Tire received a world record from Guinness World Records for the longest continuously running TV commercial, depicting an old woman, played by Maxine Olmstead, hurling a tire through a store window. The commercial first aired in 1975.

Sponsorships

Discount Tire sponsors the Team Penske No. 2 and No. 12 Ford Mustangs in the NASCAR Cup Series, driven by Austin Cindric and Ryan Blaney respectively. It also sponsors the AMA Supercross.

Discount Tire has presented the College Basketball Invitational since 2023. It also sponsors the Women's National Basketball Association alongside Continental AG.

Controversies

Politics

Endorsement of Joe Arpaio

In August 2016, posters for Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's reelection campaign were posted inside store windows. This attracted outcry from opponents of Arpaio, especially in the Latino community due Arpaio having been found to have been racially profiling Latinos in federal court.

Anti-marijuana lobbying

In October 2016, Halle and Discount Tire donated $1 million to the Arizonians for Responsible Drug Policy, a group which campaigned against the marijuana-legalization bill Proposition 205. In response, a boycott was initiated against the company.

Santa Clara incident

In October 2021, a customer reported damages done to his BMW Z by an America's Tire store in Santa Clara, California. Footage from their dashcam revealed that the store's employees discussing having thrown parts at the vehicle. The footage also shows the vehicle being driven at excessive speed, while the employees mocking the owner based on his Asian American name. The footage was posted on Instagram, where it attracted media attention. After the incident, the Discount Tire's PR team reported that the involved employees were terminated by the location and that the customer's damage would be reimbursed.

Litigation

Mavis Discount Tire rebranding lawsuit

On December 26, 2018, Discount Tire successfully filed a lawsuit against Mavis Discount Tire over their usage of "Discount Tire" in the Midwest and the South. Mavis had previously operated as Mavis Discount Tire in the northeast, a market in which Discount Tire had not yet entered.

See also

* Tire Discounters
* Mavis Discount Tire

References

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Automotive part retailers of the United States
Companies based in Scottsdale, Arizona
American companies established in 1960
Retail companies established in 1960
1960 establishments in Michigan