Tire Kingdom

Tire Kingdom is a large American tire store chain located primarily in the southern part of the United States. In 2000, it became a subsidiary of TBC Corporation.

Background

Tire Kingdom was founded by Chuck Curcio in Florida in 1972, starting with a location in a farmer's market in West Palm Beach, Florida.[1] Business grew rapidly and the organization started opening stores throughout Florida and by the late 1980s had expanded through most major markets in the State, with 34 locations by 1984,[2] and 67 locations by late 1988.[3] Curcio became well known for his irreverent late night parties, usually featuring him in outlandish costumes such as Crocket from Miami Vice.[4] In subsequent years the company expanded to Georgia, Louisiana, Vermont, Ohio, New Hampshire, the Carolinas, and the United States Virgin Islands.

Acquisition by Michelin Group

Curcio sold Tire Kingdom to the Michelin group in a deal that closed in early 1989.[5] In 1993, an investment group headed by Goldman Sachs took control, with Curcio returning as part of the team.[6][7] Curcio stepped down in 1996,[8] and TBC Corporation purchased the company in the middle of 2000 for a reported $45 million. TBC Corporation also owns the Big O Tires, National Tire & Battery, and Merchant Tire chains, each of which have separate branding and generally separate territories.

On April 3, 2015, TBC Corporation announced that all Tire Kingdom locations outside of Florida would be rebranded under the National Tire & Battery brand.[9]

References
  1. Harakas, Margo (4 April 1996). The People's Mall, Sun Sentinel ("Chuck Curcio did start Tire Kingdom at this very spot, though, in a 10-foot-by-20-foot space.")
  2. Gourevitch, Dave (20 June 1984). For Founder of Tire Kingdom, Success Means Aggressiveness, Palm Beach Post
  3. (1 November 1988). Tire Czar Sells His Kingdom – Michelin Group Will Buy Chain, Miami Herald
  4. Resnick, Rosalind (4 October 2010). Me & My Brand: Lively Entrepreneurs Ring Up Sales, The Wall Street Journal
  5. Williams, Elisa (4 January 1989). Sale of Tire Kingdom Completed, Palm Beach Post
  6. (16 January 1993). Tire 'King' Buys Back His Kingdom, Miami Herald
  7. Pounds, Marcia Heroux (6 June 2000). Tire Kingdom Bought Again. Sun Sentinel Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
  8. Smith, Jim (22 August 2011). Catching Up With GM, Prison Bibles, Chuck Curcio & China's Michelin Love Fest Archived 2012-04-21 at the Wayback Machine, Tire Review
  9. "Tire Kingdom rebranded to NTB outside of Fla". Tire Business. April 3, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
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