Steve Goldberg, owner of Hank’s Tire, a single-location dealership in Woodland Hills, Calif., says it’s not unusual for up to 10 cars to line up at this store — before it even opens.
The dealership, which was founded 70 years ago by Steve’s father, Hank Goldberg, is busier — and more successful — than ever, turning $10 million in sales last year alone, despite facing some tough competition.
Steve says that the majority of independent tire dealers in his area have been bought out by big chains, making Hank’s Tire one of the last true independents in his area.
“I want to stay independent,” he says. “I don’t want to sell out — not only for my dad, but I’m proud of what we do and who our customers are.”
Humble start
Hank’s Tire was started in 1953. Hank Goldberg had returned home from the Marine Corps and was looking for work. His brother-in-law worked in the tire industry and brought him into it, as well.
“My dad just had a little shack rented in the valley and he was open seven days a week,” says Steve.
“He only had one employee and they only did tires. He had his jack and his tire machine and back then, they did all these things by hand."
Steve says he remembers his father telling him he ran deals selling four tires for $100.
After two years at his original location, Hank moved to a bigger location in Tarzana, Calif. He hired a second employee and started doing more mechanical work, like brakes, plus more tire-related services.
“I graduated high school in 1974,” says Steve. “We moved to our current location in Woodland Hills in 1973.”
The location is on the corner of a busy boulevard. (The facility was a gas station before Hank bought it.)
He remodeled the store and then a couple years later, he built a building in the back to accommodate more auto service work.
“We are split (with) our tire department in the front and our service department in the back."
The location has around nine bays and is so busy the company’s biggest problem is parking for all its customers, according to Steve.
He adds that Hank's Tire tries to offer as much as it can.
“We are an AAA-approved repair shop, so we do all mechanical work,” he says.
“We do inspections, oil changes, brakes and air conditioning.
"We try to keep it simple and moving because it does get hectic and in the past couple of years, people have gotten more impatient.”
A positive environment
Steve says he and his employees try to create a happy shop environment because he wants to give people another reason to come - and return - to Hank’s Tire.
“They can go anywhere to buy tires or have their vehicles worked on.
“Why should they come here? Because we make them feel comfortable, they can feel the positive atmosphere and everybody is wearing a smile. It really is the little things like that that make a difference.”
Steve says that he compares finding a good tire dealer to finding an electrician or plumber.
“If you have somebody you can trust and comes to your house and just does the job — it makes it so much easier.”
That's the level of trust Steve has achieved with his customers. He says a lot of them don't ask about price.
“They’ve been coming here for years, so they just trust us and that's a really good feeling,” he says.
Steve says his positive attitude starts at home.
His wife, Cheryl, put a sign next to his car keys that says, “Choose Happy.”
She does that to remind Steve of his “options.”
“She says, ‘You can go into work grouchy and be like everyone else or you can go in there with a good attitude and make everyone's day better.'
“She’s right. I’m blessed, I’m healthy, my kids are healthy, the business is doing good and that is really what we try to pass on to our customers.
"When a customer comes in all upset over a flat tire, I tell them it’s a repairable item and not the end of the world. We can fix it!”
Hank’s Tire employs three full-time service writers, nine technicians, six tire salesman and seven tire installers.
In the early days, Hank’s Tire made the majority of its revenue through tire sales. Steve says it’s now about a 50/50 split between tire sales and service.
“We are very proud and I know my dad would be proud, too,” he says.
Changing trends
Steve says that his business is the busiest it's ever been. He credits that, in part, to the fact people aren’t buying new cars as much as they used to and are opting to have them repaired.
Steve says he has been approached by buyers but doesn’t want to sell because he sees how some other independent tire dealerships that have been bought have lost their personalized service.
“My family probably wouldn’t let me sell it anyways. If I stay home with my wife all day, we might kill each other!”
Steve also says it is nice having customers come in and ask about his family. He services second- and third-generation customers.
Like many other tire dealers, COVID-19 was the biggest challenge Hank’s Tire ever faced. Steve kept everyone employed through the pandemic, but had to make scheduling adjustments, like having employees come in every other week.
“You just have to roll with the punches,” he says.
Technology has also become a bigger challenge at Hank’s Tire in recent years.
“I’m in California, so it seems like everyone has a Tesla or some type of electric car,” he explains.
“Everything wears out faster on electric cars — especially the tires because of the weight of the battery. Plus, there is no spare tire in these cars, which a lot of people forget. So when they have a flat tire, they must be towed out of there, which just makes it harder.”
The price of tires has also “skyrocketed” in recent years.
Steve says he sold his most expensive set of tires a few months ago for a Lamborghini. The price tag totaled $5,000.
“I learned a long time ago, you make money when you buy and we inventory close to 4,000 tires and sell 80 to 100 a day,” he explains.
“When there's a deal on tires, buy them and stock up on them,” he advises.
