Acquisition Will Help Tire Discounters Accelerate Southern Expansion

Tire Discounters Inc. is expanding again, this time with the acquisition of Porterfield Tire Inc. With two retail stores in Georgia, adding Porterfield Tire also signals a major shift for Tire Discounters: the nation's eighth-largest tire dealer is entering the commercial tire business.

Troy Porterfield founded his family's tire business in Athens, Ga. in 1972, and on Dec. 11 the company's stores in Athens and Watkinsville, Ga., closed their doors and reopened Dec. 14 as part of the Tire Discounters organization. The company also took over operation of the commercial business and warehouse, which will serve as Tire Discounters' third distribution center "in a strategic move to accelerate the company’s expansion in southern states."

“We only reached out to companies that would continue to look after our customers just like we currently do,” said Troy Porterfield. “Jamie Ward and the Wood family know how we feel about our customers and our employees, because they feel the same way.”

The next generations of the Porterfield family, including Troy Porterfield III and Wes Porterfield, will join Tire Discounters, working alongside Tire Discounters' field management team, led by Charles Curlee, retail vice president.

“It’s a real honor that Troy believes in our family to carry on their customer-friendly tradition,” said Chip Wood, founder and owner of Tire Discounters. “My brother, sister, sons and daughter all work here, and we’re trying our best to make sure that our industry isn’t taken over by faceless corporations. Family-run stores are still the heart and soul of the tire business.”

“We are actively looking for family-owned businesses, like Porterfield, that want to maintain a family legacy and a focus on the customer but need help to stay competitive in today’s market,” said Wood, who was named MTD's 2020 Tire Dealer of the Year. “This is a unique offering and one we are proud to bring to Porterfield and look forward to welcoming other businesses to the Tire Discounters family with the same commitment.”

Ward, president of Tire Discounters said, “We do things differently as the nation’s largest 100% family owned and operated independent tire provider. We are blending families.  We take pride in working closely with other family businesses to identify ways of teaming up. Like in this case, all Porterfield employees, including the next generation of Porterfield’s, will continue to care for their customers as Tire Discounters employees. We are proud to do things differently.”

The acquisition comes as Tire Discounters begins a system to create and partner with franchise dealers in 2021. That effort will be led by Dave Crawford.