Frasier Tire opens 5th location in S.C.
Started in Sumter in 1974, Goodyear dealer now in 4 cities
Steve McClellan, Goodyear North American president, and Julian Frasier at the 2019 Goodyear Dealer Conference in Dallas, Texas.
After 45 years and having grown to become South Carolina's largest independent Goodyear dealer, a Sumter-based business opened its fifth location in a fourth city on Monday.
Frasier Tire Service opened in the former LeGrande Fender Inc., a mainstay in the St. George community, adding to its stores in Columbia, Charleston and Sumter.
"It is an honor to continue the business of LeGrande Fender Inc. I have known Mr. Fender for many years. He and his son Blaine are men of the highest integrity - a real credit to the tire business," said Julian Frasier, who opened the business in Sumter in 1974. "We will strive to build on the Fender's outstanding reputation as businessmen."
The new location is at 840 U.S. 15, one mile north of town center. Sitting six miles from Interstate 26 and five miles from I-95, it is "ideally situated between our Columbia and Charleston locations," said Tripp Lee, vice president of sales for the company.
Lee said the expansion allows the company to better serve customers' needs, especially for medium commercial truck service along I-26 from Charleston to Newberry and on I-95 from Hampton County to Florence.
Customers in St. George will have access to automotive tire and repair services along with full medium commercial truck service, including 24/7 emergency roadside service through the Goodyear FleetHQ Network.
"Combined with our presence in Sumter, which includes our Goodyear Authorized Retread manufacturing plant, automotive service retail, commercial truck service center and wholesale distribution warehouse, we see the St. George addition as the next logical step in our long-range plan to continue being the best source in South Carolina for Goodyear tires along with service that is always exceptional," Lee said.
Frasier Tire also serves a portion of I-20 from its beginning in Florence County to Batesburg-Leesville, splitting that service area between its Sumter and Columbia locations.
"Growth in Charleston and Dorchester counties continues at an unprecedented rate," Lee said. " For the past 45 years, Frasier Tire has been a great ambassador for the Goodyear brand in South Carolina, and we are placing ourselves in a position to do that for another 45. That's the goal, anyway."