LOOKING AT A VIBRANT LOCAL ECONOMY
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Fannin Co. Development Authority
What started with a pile of used tires in a old barn in Mineral Bluff has grown into a family business with a strong sense of community.
Tim Nicholson tells the story of how Nicholson Tire Center has “come a long way over the years.” He credits the growth in the family owned business to taking care of customers and supporting the local community.
Starting with keeping that barn full of tires, Tim says, “I’ve known it all my life. It was always an interesting thing to be able to get in a truck with Dad to drive and pick up 30 or 40 tires at a time.”
Tim now co-owns Nicholson Tire Center with his brothers, Dennis and Ricky, and their late brother, Donnie, who they fondly remember as another co-owner. Tim’s son, Noah, also works at business, marking the third generation of Nicholson’s to take up the family business.
Tim’s father Reid started Nicholson Tire in 1982. It was then the first location opened at 3956 Spur 60 between Mineral Bluff and the North Carolina state line. Then, in 2010, a second location was opened at 1286 Damascus Circle, just south of West Fannin school. The two locations have 14 employees and see some 12,000 customers every year.
Tim says the best part of being a family business is “the lack of red tape.”
“We can kind of bend the rules a little bit from time to time to help customers out,” Tim says.
For example, if someone buys a full set of tires, then ruins one after running over debris in the road a few days later, Tim says they’ll do the best they can to replace the tire without charging for labor.
Doing things to make sure customers get the best service possible and feel important is at the heart of the business. “We strive to be a friendly, helpful neighbor you can trust with your vehicle,” Tim says.
Because Nicholson Tire Center is family owned, “It’s a little bit easier for us to help our community out,” Tim says. Unlike big tire shops, the local business is free to use its resources on supporting such organizations as sports teams, FFA, and the area agricultural programs.
“We don’t have to run through hoops to give a donation out,” Tim says.
Nicholson Tire Center can be reached at 706-964-8476 at Damascus Circle or 706-374-5801 on Spur 60. More is also available on the website at nicholsontirecenter.com.
(Learn more about local businesses and industries at fannindevelopment.com and thenewsobserver.com).