After decades of going the distance for their customers, the owners of Selkirk Tire have retired and sold the business to a large Canadian auto service company.
Mark and Sue Medock sold their business to Fountain Tire and celebrated the transition with the new owner a few weeks ago.
Selkirk Tire earned loyal customers from across the Interlake and has the distinction of being the oldest independently owned Goodyear dealer in western Canada. After 30 years of owning Selkirk Tire, Sue said their retirement is “super sentimental” and they’re going to miss their staff and all the customers who have become like family.
“We have amazing staff. We have some staff that have been with us since the beginning. It’s hard to leave now when everything is working like a well-oiled machine,” she said. “We’re friends with most of our customers; they become your friends.”
Mark said he has mixed feelings about retiring as Selkirk Tire has been a staple in town for so long, and they’ve created long-lasting relationships with three generations of customers.
“Selkirk Tire has been operating for 60 years. Everybody knows the business and our family. We’ve developed three generations of customers over the years,” he said.
Mark’s dad, Michael, founded Selkirk Tire in 1964 after he moved from Teulon where he owned a trucking business. There was no tire shop in Selkirk at that time and he became one of the first select dealers (in Manitoba) for Goodyear, an American company that offers a full range of tires for cars and trucks.
Mark took over Selkirk Tire in 1990 after his dad retired, he and Sue went on to purchase the business in 1993. They took it forward, diversifying by offering automotive repair and servicing and seasonal tire storage. With a reputation for honesty and reliability, they earned a large customer base across the Triple S region – Selkirk, St. Andrews and St. Clements – as well as other communities throughout the Interlake.
“I grew up in the shop and pretty much did tires for most of my life,” said Mark. “I moved to Calgary to learn the business in another city and worked for a big tire company out there for about two years. Then I moved back to Selkirk to take over the business.”
His best piece of advice regarding tires shouldn’t come as any surprise to Manitobans.
“My best advice is to buy good winter tires. All season tires don’t cut it in this climate,” said Mark. “And you get what you pay for because there are so many cheap [inferior] products out there.”
The couple said some of the highlights over the years include Selkirk Tire celebrating 50 years in the community, getting to ride in Goodyear’s Blimp, and attending Goodyear’s annual conventions, which not only furthered their knowledge of the tire business, but also provided them with great entertainment from the likes of Tony Bennet, Huey Lewis and the News, Jerry Seinfeld, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
“We always found the convention very motivating. We would attend classes and learn about the new products and services and the things we could do. That always re-energized us and motivated us every year,” said Sue. “And they had amazing entertainment.”
Having lived in Selkirk their whole lives, the Medocks said their involvement in the community and their support for community events was as important to them as it had been for Mark’s dad. They would take part in events such as the fair and rodeo parade and the highland gathering, support minor hockey including purchasing jackets for the kids, support the Huntington’s Ride, golf tournaments, Lobsterfest and the local food bank, to mention a few.
Some of the challenges they faced over the years included building up the business even though Mark’s dad was a “well known and honest businessman,” maintaining staffing with cyclical tire seasons, especially during the winter season, which was incredibly busy and accounted for almost half their annual business.
When big box stores such as Canadian Tire and Walmart moved into Selkirk, the Medocks said they thought they’d pose a challenge to their business. They actually boosted their business.
“In the end they helped us. They drew more people to Selkirk for shopping. We became more of a shopping hub for Interlake residents,” said Sue. “And when Walmart came, it stopped people from going to Winnipeg for shopping.”
Fountain Tire, which was founded in Alberta, is a Canadian auto service centre that focuses on tires but also offers vehicle repairs and servicing. It has centres across central and western Canada.
Casey Cook, manager and owner of the Warman Road Fountain Tire in Winnipeg is taking over Selkirk Tire, said the Medocks. And there’s an agreement to keep their existing staff on the roster.
“We connected with him well and we heard very good things about him. He’s well respected,” said Sue. “Part of our negotiations with Fountain Tire buying our business was that they were prepared to keep our staff. That was huge for us because we didn’t want to tell them, “You’ll have no job tomorrow.’ That would have been devastating.”
The other plus is that Fountain Tire is a Goodyear dealer and the transition will be smooth as the staff already knows that end of the business.
As for the future of the Medock’s retirement and with Mark’s history as a professional motocross competitor [off-road motorcycle racing] for about 15 years in his youth, getting back into it later in life as it was a “pure thrill,” Mark confirmed he has no plans to hop on a motorbike during his retirement years. But they did say he and Sue may be driving a side-by-side, doing a bit of travelling, golfing and spending time with friends and family.
Although Selkirk Tire will be taking down its sign, the Medocks said local and Interlake residents and businesses will not be bereft of auto service and the proper traction they need behind the wheel.
“There will still be a tire business here,” said Sue. “Fountain Tire is very well known and an amazing employer. I think it’ll be good for the town and it’ll be good for our staff.”
Mark said they appreciate what the community did for them over the decades.
“We’d like to thank the community for their support over the years,” he said. “We’re going to miss dealing with the next generation coming up.”
