Fountain Tire

Fountain Tire was founded in 1956 by Bill Fountain. The company started as a small, double-bay garage in Wainwright, Alberta, and offered in-the-field service to farmers. As it grew, Bill Fountain decided to offer local managers 50 percent equity in their stores, a practice still in use today.{{Cite web|url=https://www.albertaventure.com/fountain-tires-unique-5050-partnership-model-helped-it-grow-into-a-western-canadian-powerhouse/2/2763|title=Fountain Tire's unique 50/50 partnership model helped it grow into a Western Canadian powerhouse|website=AlbertaVenture.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-03}}

In 1976, Bill Fountain was killed in a car accident, leaving behind a network of 19 stores and partners.

The 1980s included further expansion for Fountain Tire: a move to the new head office in Edmonton and a change in Fountain Tire's expansion strategy. On September 24, 1987, Fountain Tire sold 49 percent of its business to Goodyear Canada. By the end of the 1990s, 100 new Fountain Tire stores had been added across Western Canada.{{Cn|date=December 2022}}

In 2014, Fountain Tire relocated its corporate headquarters to a new facility in the South Edmonton, called Fountain Tire Place.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/canada/edmonton-journal/20140620/281925951092961|title=Fountain Tire moves into employee-focused HQ|last=|first=|date=|website=www.google.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-02-03}}

In 2016, Fountain Tire reached its 60th anniversary. The company launched a 60-day cross-country campaign paying tribute to the 1950s with a drive-in movie tour{{Cite web|url=https://autosphere.ca/tire-news/2016/11/11/fountain-tire-bringin-back-the-50s/|title=Fountain Tire: Bringin' Back the '50s|last=Kazmierski|first=Jack|date=2016-11-11|website=Autosphere|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-03}} and giveaways of 60,000 AIR MILES.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20160719/NEWS/160719928/fountain-tire-celebrating-60th-anniversary|title=Fountain Tire celebrating 60th anniversary|date=2016-07-19|website=Tire Business|language=en|access-date=2020-02-03}}

Today, Fountain Tire operates 164 locations across Canada, from Victoria, B.C. to Vaughan, Ontario.

Fountain Tire's corporate office is located in South Edmonton at Fountain Tire Place.

Fountain Tire supports the United Way, Junior Achievement and local charities in cities across Canada.{{Cite web|url=https://edmontonchambercommerce.blob.core.windows.net/media/4076/nla-brent-hesje-bio-page-compressed.pdf|title=Edmonton Chamber Commerce|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}} In 2015, the company donated a 15-seat passenger van to Grow Calgary, Canada's largest urban farm, which supplies the local food bank.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theanchor.ca/2015/grow-calgary-gets-amazing-gift/|title=Grow Calgary Gets Gift of Van from Fountain Tire {{!}} The Chestermere Anchor Weekly|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-03}} In 2019, Fountain Tire CEO Brent Hesje received a Northern Lights Award of Distinction by the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce in recognition of his corporate, community and industry leadership.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20190409/NEWS/190409940/fountain-tire-ceo-brent-hesje-earns-northern-lights-award|title=Fountain Tire CEO Brent Hesje earns Northern Lights Award|date=2019-04-09|website=Tire Business|language=en|access-date=2020-02-03}}

Fountain Tire's slogans have included "Home of the Tire Experts," "Winning the West," "Your Alberta Tire Store" and “Trust. Fountain Tire.”

Actor and comedian Thom Sharp became Fountain Tire's spokesperson in 1994 and was known as “The Fountain Tire Guy”{{Cite web|url=http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/travel+questions+with+that+bald+thom+sharp/2246603/story.html|title=10 travel questions with 'that bald guy, Thom Sharp|last=Makichuk|first=Dave|website=www.calgaryherald.com|language=en-ca|access-date=2020-02-03}} for more than 20 years.

In 2018, Fountain Tire launched a new brand and tag line, “We’re on this road together,” to reflect a philosophy of partnership across the company.{{Cite web|url=https://autosphere.ca/tire-news/2018/10/26/refreshing-your-brand/|title=Refreshing Your Brand|last=Pawlett|first=Steve|date=2018-10-26|website=Autosphere|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-03}}

Fountain Tire is a longstanding Platinum Club member of Canada's Best Managed Companies (Deloitte), {{Cite web |title=Platinum Club members {{!}} Canada's Best Managed Companies |url=https://www2.deloitte.com/ca/en/pages/canadas-best-managed-companies/articles/platinum-club-members.html |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=Deloitte Canada |language=en}} winning its first award in 1994.{{Cite web |title=Corporate History |url=https://www.fountaintire.com/about-us/corporate-history/ |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=Fountain Tire |language=en}}

Fountain Tire's “Fan Bods ” campaign won three Gold and two Silver awards at the 2019 Clio Sports awards{{Cite web|url=https://strategyonline.ca/2019/05/15/fcb-toronto-wins-gold-at-clio-sports/|title=FCB Toronto wins Gold at Clio Sports|first=Josh |last=Kolm|date=2019-05-15|website=strategy|access-date=2020-02-03}} and a Silver Digital – Apps/Mobile and Merit, PR – Community Building at the 2019 Marketing awards.{{Cite web|url=https://marketingawards.strategyonline.ca/winners/winner/2019/?e=77830&w=Fan+Bods|title=Marketing Awards ★ 2019 Winner ★|website=marketingawards.strategyonline.ca|access-date=2020-02-03}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.fountaintire.com Fountain Tire website]

{{Edmonton Corporations}}

Category:Companies based in Edmonton

Category:Canadian brands

Category:Automotive companies of Canada

Category:Automotive part retailers

Category:Automotive repair shops

Category:1956 establishments in Alberta

Category:Retail companies established in 1956