Last summer Tire Warehouse left behind 34 years in business on Clarkston Road and moved across town into their new Train Depot themed home on M-24 by Kroger.
The construction of the new building on Park Road (M-24, just north of Shadbolt), took place on a swamp.
‘People followed us to the new building and followed the project with interest,? Clark says. ‘It was a crazy project from the outset.?
‘I’ve got a new respect for what engineers do,? he adds.
Since opening their 21,400 square-foot building in the summer of 2005, Tire Warehouse has continued to grow.
‘The new building with 21 service bays, along with specialty equipment and seasoned technicians, has expanded our abilities and we can now care for the entire vehicle,? Clark says. ‘It’s a home run for us.?
‘We needed to become more than just a tire store doing light repairs on our customer’s vehicles,? he adds, citing recent legislation.
The Magneson ? Moss Warranty Act legislates that having an independent repair facility perform proper repairs or maintenance on their vehicle does not alter or void warranties.
‘This act opened the door for us to take over responsibility for the entire vehicle, including all periodic maintenance specified by the manufacturer,? Clark notes.
‘Our customers have always had a piece of mind at Tire Warehouse that we would give an informed honest opinion with options and that we would back it up if something went wrong. Our focus was to maintain that same customer confidence as we expanded from traditional tire store service into more serious engine, body, and drivetrain diagnostics and repairs.?
‘Having the best people fixing cars is important because our new and old friends rely on us to do it right the first time.? added Don Truscott, manager of thirty-two years.
Today’s vehicles are controlled by onboard computers that monitor almost everything. Truscott says that having an experienced and well-educated staff is a must in today’s age of car care. Change is rapid which makes education critical. Who would ever guess that tire technicians would be programming tire pressure monitors which exist in today’s new cars and SUVs.
Giving your vehicle a velvet ride means mastery of a variation force wheel balancer and the proper selection of machine clamping fingers and proper clamping forces at the wheel when done.
‘Details are important at every level and our staff is hand-picked to be thorough,? says Clark.
‘We follow the guidelines of the Car Care Council,? he adds, ensuring top-notch service for anyone setting foot in the store.
The Car Care Council is a national non-profit organization established to educate consumers about the benefits of proper vehicle care, maintenance and repair. Tire Warehouse offers the council’s Car Care Guide for free.
Tire Warehouse is a hometown business in the truest sense of the word. Clark’s family was the first family to settle in Lake Orion under the Homestead Act and has lived in Lake Orion for 173 years now.
He started in business in 1972 at a location on Clarkston Road. It wasn’t hard to convince this native son to do something extraordinary.
‘This town will always be home to me and I wanted to do something special,? he says.
The train depot theme came about at the insistence of the village council that any new building built in downtown Lake Orion should have a heritage theme to it. What could be more fitting than a train depot, which actually rests on the abandon railroad road line a stone’s throw north of the original Lake Orion Depot.
‘The building was designed by two architects in Michigan who have done seven or so Depot restorations and really have a passion for train depots,? Clark notes. ‘I’m pleased with how the building came out.?
Many employees, including Truscott, have been with Clark from nearly the beginning.
‘There’s just about nothing that we don’t do now,? Clark says.
‘Customers can sit in our lobby with their laptops and have good coffee and hear bad jokes,? Clark promises.
One thing that Tire Warehouse continues to master is customer relations. They might have the ‘big store? look, but they still have that ‘small store? feel.
The new location is also an internet hot spot.
After 35 years, there aren’t many faces that Clark and his staff don’t recognize.
‘You just get to know everybody after so many years,? Clark says, noting the community has always been there to support one of their own.
‘That’s why we’ve been able to do what we do.?
Tire Warehouse is located at 250 N. Park Boulevard, just north of downtown Lake Orion. Call (248)693-1234 for more information.
Store hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Drop off is available on the east side of the building after hours. Loaner cars and shuttles are also available.