Like many tire dealers, Robert Bookout, owner of Etowah, Tenn.-based Bookout Tire and Lube, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, was introduced to the tire industry at a young age.
When Bookout was in high school, he worked at a service station in his hometown. After graduating, he decided to work at a corporation and quickly realized that it wasn’t for him.
He came back to the service station for about six months, then left and opened the first Bookout Tire and Lube location. (The dealership mainly sells tires and performs oil changes, on top of brake work and other minor auto maintenance services.)
Before diving head-first into opening Bookout Tire and Lube, Bookout, wondering if he would “make it” or not, sought advice from a family friend.
“He told me, ‘As long as you’re willing to work hard, are good to your customers and (are) honest, I think you can make a go of it,’” he says.
Ongoing celebration
This isn’t Bookout Tire and Lube’s first anniversary celebration.
“We had a 30-year and a 40-year celebration when we hit those milestones,” he says.
“Each celebration, we have the local Christian radio station come do a remote broadcast at our location and we invite past and present Bookout Tire members to come hang out and eat.”
Bookout credits his team and customers for their longevity of his business.
“The Lord has blessed us with a lot of good help over the years,” he says. “And it’s all about treating your customers right. About 70% to 80% of the people who walk through our doors are return customers.”
That’s despite very little advertising, minimal Internet exposure and having no company website.
At Bookout Tire and Lube, it's all word of mouth.
“We live in a small town, right between Knoxville and Chattanooga. Our biggest competition isn’t big box stores. It's independents, like us.
“There are basically only two other places in our town and they do mainly all mechanical work. They don’t push tires and oil changes there. So even then, it’s not a huge competition between us.”
Knowing your industry
About 30 years ago, Bookout says that he looked to add another location in the town of Athens, Tenn.
“My wife and I prayed and talked about it, but it didn’t come to pass and I think it was meant to be,” he says.
“I know a lot of successful businesspeople have multiple locations, but I just don’t feel that I was led to go that route. Plus, I kind of like doing things myself and being hands-on.”
A big way that Bookout is hands-on is through the organization and cleanliness of his dealership.
“That is a big deal to me – that our dealership is clean and organized. I’m the guy who comes in early and mops all the bay floors. I enjoy doing it.”
Bookout has seen many changes over the years.
He says 13-, 14- and 15-inch tires were the most popular tire sizes when he started. “Now, you don’t sell any 13’s and you rarely sell any 14’s or 15’s,” says Bookout, who adds that 17-inch through 20-inch tires have become more common.
He cites tire pressure monitoring systems as another major shift. “Years ago, you didn’t have this kind of technology and now every tire is made with this technology.”
Bookout says that one of his dealership’s biggest achievements is being debt-free.
“This really helps when we have an unexpected expense pop up. Like if we have a tire machine that goes down ... we are able to immediately pay for a new one because we are out of debt.”
The long run
Bookout says treating customers fairly has allowed his dealership to build a loyal following, making price less of a factor.
“If we are $10 higher on an oil change than the place down the street, I’m really not that concerned because I feel like the impression our place gives and the way we treat customers ... people would rather have that than a cheaper price,” he explains.
Focusing on customer service is what Bookout, whose 70th birthday is approaching, wants to continue at his dealership.
“I’m in good health and I really, really enjoy it,” he says. “So I don’t plan on quitting!”
