Les Schwab Tire Centers

Les Schwab founded the company with a single store in Prineville, Oregon, when he bought OK Rubber Welders in 1952. Corporate headquarters were moved from Prineville to Bend in 2008. From 1964 until 2011, the firm offered an innovative February "Free-Beef" promotion,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zfxXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3_YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4311%2C1618768 |work=The Bulletin |location=(Bend, Oregon) |agency=(advertisement) |title=Free Beef certificates |date=March 9, 1967 |page=6}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazettetimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/memories-what-happened-to-free-beef/article_61681060-7b94-11e1-86c7-0019bb2963f4.html|title=Memories: What happened to 'free beef'?|last=Gazette-Times|first=Theresa Novak Corvallis|website=Corvallis Gazette Times|language=en|access-date=2019-11-11}} to boost sales during slow late-winter months.

The company was sued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2006 over allegations of gender-based job discrimination.Hunsberger, Brent. "Suit says tire chain practices job bias", The Oregonian, June 1, 2006. The EEOC suit claimed the company denied women top management positions in the company and noted that at the time of the filing there was but a single female assistant store manager. They were also sued by former employees over the same allegations in a class action lawsuit filed the same year. The federal case was settled in 2010.

On December 12, 2006, Dick Borgman became CEO of the company.Mike Rogoway, "Tire giant rolls hub out of town", The Oregonian 13 December 2006, p. B1+ That year the company ranked as the 318th largest private company according to Forbes.{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/21/biz_06privates_Les-Schwab-Tire-Centers_S5ON.html|title=The Largest Private Companies: #318 Les Schwab Tire Centers|date=November 9, 2006|work=Forbes|accessdate=2009-02-21}} As of 2007, the chain operates more than 410 stores in Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Les Schwab Tires entered the Denver metropolitan area with five stores in October 2012, the first in Colorado, bringing the total number of company owned stores to 374.{{cite news|last=Huspeni|first=Dennis|title=Les Schwab Tire Centers opens 1st Colorado stores|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2012/10/17/les-schwab-tire-centers-opens-1st.html|accessdate=17 October 2012|newspaper=Portland Business Journal|date=October 17, 2012}} The company does more than $1.6 billion in sales each year, and is the second largest independent tire retailer in the United States.

Founder Les Schwab died in May 2007, with ownership remaining within the family,{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2008/12/les_schwab_moves_to_new_bend_s.html|title=Les Schwab moves to new Bend site|last=Rogoway|first=Mike|date=December 16, 2008|work=The Oregonian|accessdate=2008-12-18}} then chairman Phil Wick died in 2010.{{cite web|title=Les Schwab Tire Centers, Inc.|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=942699|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110305185015/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=942699|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 5, 2011|work=Businessweek|publisher=Bloomberg|accessdate=23 July 2011}} In September 2020, CEO Jack Cuniff announced that the company would be sold to a San Francisco investment fund.{{Cite web|last=Hayes|first=Elizabeth|date=September 29, 2020|title=Les Schwab Tires to be sold to investment fund, ending family ownership|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2020/09/29/les-schwab-tires-to-be-sold.html|access-date=2021-02-11|website=Portland Business Journal}}{{Cite web|last=Rogoway|first=Mike|date=September 29, 2020|title=Les Schwab sold to California investment firm|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2020/09/les-schwab-sold-to-california-hedge-fund-meritage-group.html|access-date=2021-02-11|website=The Oregonian|language=en}} The sale, to Meritage Group LP, was finalized in November 2020.{{cite news |last1=Manges |first1=Mike |title=Les Schwab Continues to Expand Under New Owner |magazine=Modern Tire Dealer |url=https://www.moderntiredealer.com/articles/31616-les-schwab-continues-to-expand-under-new-owner |access-date=2022-01-04 |date=March 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318213151/https://www.moderntiredealer.com/articles/31616-les-schwab-continues-to-expand-under-new-owner |archive-date=March 18, 2021 |url-status=live}}

In 2024, the chain opened locations in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota.{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=A. J. |title=New auto store to open in Sartell in 2025 |url=https://www.sctimes.com/story/news/local/2024/11/11/les-schwab-tire-opening-in-sartell/76010252007/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=St. Cloud Times |language=en-US}} as of 2025, the chain has more than 540 locations.{{Cite web |last=staff |first=Dakota News Now |date=2024-05-31 |title=New business in Sioux Falls donates tires to Thrive Mobile Market |url=https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2024/05/31/new-business-sioux-falls-donates-tires-thrive-mobile-market/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=www.dakotanewsnow.com |language=en}}

Image:Wilsonville Les Schwab Tire Center.JPG]]

In addition to tires, the company sells a variety of other auto parts and auto-related services, including brakes and shocks. In 2008, Forbes magazine ranked Les Schwab as the 324th largest privately held company in the country. Modern Tire Dealer has called Les Schwab "arguably the most respected independent tire store chain in the United States."[http://www.moderntiredealer.com/News/Story/2007/05/Tire-industry-icon-Les-Schwab-dies-at-89.aspx Tire industry icon Les Schwab dies at 89.] Modern Tire Dealer, May 18, 2007. Retrieved on November 4, 2011. The company closes all of its stores on Sundays, and employees were formerly known for running to customer vehicles when they pull in to park, though many locations still have employees walk up to greet customers as they exit their vehicles. Les Schwab has also offered free beef promotions with tire purchases, and free BombPop popsicles in the lobby in the summer. Today, most Les Schwab locations still offer free coffee and popcorn for customers.

• List of companies based in Oregon

{{Commons Category|Les Schwab Tire Centers}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://blog.oregonlive.com/oregonianextra/1997/09/profile_of_les_schwab_in_1997.html Profile of founder Les Schwab]
• [http://www.rmef.org/Conservation/Partners/Corporate/Sponsorships/Les+Schwab+Tire+Centers.htm Les Schwab and Conservation Partnerships]

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Category:Privately held companies based in Oregon

Category:American companies established in 1952

Category:Retail companies established in 1952

Category:Automotive part retailers of the United States

Category:Automotive repair shops of the United States

Category:Companies based in Bend, Oregon

Category:1952 establishments in Oregon