AUBURN, MAINE and CLAREMONT, N.H. — VIP Tires & Service opened a significantly larger store at 366 Washington Street, across the street from its current location in Claremont, N.H. Currently, VIP has 58 store locations – 19 in New Hampshire, three in Massachusetts, one in Vermont and 35 locations in Maine.
“More and more customers are visiting our Claremont VIP store location for automobile service and repair, and we needed more bays to better accommodate them,” said Tim Winkeler, President and Chief Operating Officer, VIP Tires & Service. “Plus, the customer area of the new facility will set a new standard in customer comfort, from the wood floors to the new improved tire displays, as well as a larger coffee station and a laptop bar for people who like to work while they wait for their vehicles.”
The new 9,000-sq.-ft. location is double the size of VIP’s former location and features nine service bays (versus five bays at the old store). VIP has increased on-site tire storage at the new location by 20 percent from 1,500 to 1,800. The eight employees at the original location are moving to the new location, and VIP plans to hire an additional Master ASE Technician.
For the last six months, VIP has been extensively renovating the new store location. The total project cost including the purchase of the facility and the renovations exceeds $1 million. The hours of operation will remain the same as the previous service center: Monday- Saturday 7:30am- 6:00pm, and Sunday 9:00am- 4:00pm.
All VIP Tires & Service locations offer a tire shop and full-service automotive repair, everything from brake repair, preventative maintenance, muffler and exhaust repair, multi-point vehicle inspections, wheel alignments, state inspections and oil changes. VIP also plans to use tablets at its new Claremont location, so its service advisors and technicians are more efficient and able to provide a better experience to customers.
Since August, VIP Tires & Service has opened two other stores; one in West Lebanon, N.H., and its first store in Vermont, located in Williston.
According to Winkeler, “The investment we’ve been making in our people over the last five years is paying off. Every day, more and more people trust our certified professionals to take care of their vehicles, so our sales and profitability have never been better, which allows us to find additional opportunities for new markets.”
About VIP Tires & Service
VIP Tires & Service, a Quirk (www.vipauto.com) family-owned business for 93 years based in Auburn, Maine, operates 58 locations throughout Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts providing retail and wholesale tires and installation, and professional automotive services. VIP is the place where New Englanders turn for everything they need to keep their vehicles running at peak performance.
