Telle Tire & Auto Centers has acquired the two-location dealership, Riechers Tire & Auto, based in Washington.
The fourth-generation family business, Riechers Tire, will continue to operate under the same name.
The acquisition was official on July 1.
“Aaron is also a fourth-generation owner, and there are a lot of parallels between our families, our businesses and the way our businesses have progressed,” says Matt Riechers, vice president of Riechers Tire & Auto.
“I’ve always been impressed with him. There’s a reason why they are so successful.”
Riechers says that he has known Aaron Telle for over 20 years.
Over the past few years, Riechers says he was approached by different buyers, and when asking Telle for advice he told Riechers, “Before you sell to someone else, please give me a chance.”
Riechers is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year. It was founded by Fred and Anna Riechers, Matt’s great-grandparents, in 1939.
Riechers’s parents purchased the business in 1977. The company, which specializes in tire and automotive repairs, has two locations – one at 510 Madison Ave. and a second location at 4710 South Point Road. The company has 30 employees.
Aaron Telle said Riechers was the first business he acquired that is older than his – Telle was founded in 1942.
With the acquisition of Riechers, Telle now has 28 stores in the greater St. Louis area.
Telle says he is retaining all of the Riechers employees and honoring all existing Riechers repair warranties. Going forward, the repair guarantees will be extended to a three-year, 30,000-mile warranty.
