Posted on
Tire Discounters announces new headquarters, hires new CIO, and accelerates growth in fast-paced industry.
Tire Discounters, the 7th largest independent tire and automotive service retailer in the US, is also one of the fastest growing. While the company’s recent growth has been primarily in the Midwest and Southern markets, they are staying true to their Cincinnati roots and are opening a new consolidated headquarters in downtown Cincinnati at 200 W. 4th Street. “I started Tire Discounters by converting an old gas station into my first store. It wasn’t much to look at, but over time we made improvements, built amazing relationships with customers, and were fortunate enough to expand with more stores in more cities. As we were looking at where our future headquarters should be, it was an obvious choice to stay in Cincinnati. It’s our first home, a great community, and will forever be a part of who we are” says Chip Wood, Founder, and Chairman.
The new headquarters building, formerly occupied by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, will allow the company to consolidate two Cincinnati offices and positions the company for further expansion. The building offers plenty of room for further growth, especially the growing technical teams led by Tire Discounters new CIO, Chantell Comberger. Comberger is a seasoned leader with a strong background in retail technology. “Customer demand is increasing for automotive technology solutions like servicing new safety systems and other modern customer digital experiences. Tire Discounters will remain a leader in technology adoption, so our customers can continue to rely on us as their trusted automotive expert,” says Comberger.
The company, which has outgrown its space at two existing Cincinnati offices, expects to move employees into the building by the end of 2019. Employees will move from 1 East 4th Street and offices in Sharonville. The new workspaces will be configured to encourage communication and collaboration across different business functions. “We’re excited to reunite both of our offices under one roof. The efficiency gains of being in one location will help us provide even better service to our customers” says Steven Wood, Director of Operations. Tire Discounters will continue to have a strong presence in Sharonville, Ohio, with its distribution center and training facility. “Our distribution center will remain in Sharonville. The consolidation of employees to our new downtown location will allow us to transform our Sharonville space into a regional hub for our northern markets. Our training center, Tire Discounters University, will also remain in Sharonville” adds Wood.
Since Chip opened the first store in 1976, Tire Discounters has grown to 116 stores, 1200+ employees in 6 states. The company doubled its number of stores since 2011 and is continuing to expand its footprint in both new and existing markets. The company entered Huntsville, AL and Knoxville, TN in 2018, and recently broke ground for its expansion to Indianapolis in 2019. “Our first Indianapolis store will be open this spring. It’s exciting to grow our business in so many ways. We’re adding new customers, building new stores, and partnering with other family-owned businesses, like our expansion in Dalton, GA last year. As we grow in stores, our headquarters is also adapting to meet the needs of our employees and business strategies. It’s an exciting time to be at Tire Discounters, in the already fast-paced retail and automotive industries” says Jamie Ward, President.