The story
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.
In 1976, Bill Fountain was killed in a car accident, leaving behind a network of 19 stores and partners.
In the 1980s, the company moved its head office to Edmonton and adjusted its 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.
In 2014, Fountain Tire relocated its corporate headquarters to Fountain Tire Place in South Edmonton.
In 2016, Fountain Tire reached its 60th anniversary. To mark its 60th anniversary, the company ran a drive-in movie tour marketing campaign.
As of 2023, Fountain Tire operates 164 locations across Canada.
The company has contributed to charitable organizations, including the United Way and Junior Achievement. In 2019, CEO Brent Hesje received a Northern Lights Award of Distinction from the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.
From Wikipedia’s article on Fountain Tire, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5