Watch now: Grant Tire owner says Kingsport business operated well through Main Street project

KINGSPORT — After more than a half century in the tire business, it takes more than a street renovation project in front of Steve Grant's business to phase him, his customers or his suppliers.It was hardly a bump in the proverbial road for veteran tire retailer Grant, although he said it was at times trying. However, he credited the city of Kingsport with helping smooth the process."They (city transportation officials and construction crews) always had one entrance open for us," Grant said in a recent interview at his business, Grant Tire & Automotive at 201 W. Main St."We never had any interruptions in business," he said of the Main Street Rebuild Project."We never got blocked off," Grant said. "If they (customers) rode around here a little bit and couldn't get in here, they called us and we guided them in. There weren't any problems."Asked if the project led to any additional work from drivers hitting curbs or potholes, Grant quickly said no."That's always business," Grant said of repairing or replacing tires damaged by road hazards each week. "They hit potholes and curbs weekly." However, he said none that he knows about were from the Main Street project.Grant also had high praise for City Engineer Hank Clabaugh, who Grant said was the point person for businesses along Main Street as the project has progressed and nears completion."Hank was just fantastic. We couldn't ask for anybody better to work for us," Grant said.Like most who operate businesses along Main Street, Grant said the project has presented challenges and that he looks forward to the projected completion in the spring."I don't think it will hurt my business any," Grant said."It's going to look nice. It might add to the traffic count. You can't ever tell," Grant said."I've got some (customers) that are four generations," Grant said. "We get new people in all the time, people that have moved into the area."TIRE BUSINESS BACKGROUNDGrant, 68, and a 1974 Sullivan Central High School graduate, has spent 51 years in the tire business that his father, Wayne Grant, entered after running an Esso service station in Knoxville.Aside from tires, the current business does general mechanical work, including brakes, oil changes and such, along with some transmission work.The roots of the business go back to a group of brothers who had a series of Firestone tire businesses in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee, brothers who played exhibition basketball games as part of the promotion of the tire stores.In 1988, Grant said his Blountviille-born father bought the Roberts Brothers Firestone tire business in Kingsport, which used to be at the corner of Center and Cherokee streets, specifically 300 E. Center St. where Town & Country Realty is today.Grant had started working in his father's tire business on summer break and snow days while a junior at Sullivan Central High School. His father eventually got into national sales with Firestone. A photo in Steve Grant's office shows the Jan. 10, 1970, Firestone Sales Champions Victory Banquet with his mother and father sitting at a table.The event, Grant said, was in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His parents sat at Table 14, according to the framed photo presentation. His father, born Sept. 9, 1927, died Feb. 4, 1988, according to a photograph display in the customer waiting area.CHANGING TIRES BUSINESSSince Grant has been in the tire business, he said changes included going from the old bias ply tubed tires to tubeless steel-belted radials. Also, retreads have all but disappeared except for tractor-trailer tires.When his father first joined Firestone, the father started out in a Firestone "retread shop" and eventually advanced up to national sales, the owner said."Tires would only last a year if you were lucky. Now they'll last six or seven years," Grant said. That's when most tire makers recommend getting new tires since even tires with good tread usually dry rot by then.In addition, he said his business sells a broad variety of brands as most tire retailers do, whether independent or part of a chain branded as Goodyear, Firestone or other maker brands. Back in the day, in contrast, he said most tire dealers sold one or a few select brands that usually were made by the same manufacturer.One thing that hasn't changed is his business is it still a small, independent operation. It employs him and six others, open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. every other Saturday.It also closes an hour for lunch each day, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., as posted on the front door.Service Manager Scott Flanary has been with Grant for more than three decades. The office manager is Teresa Click. Other employees are mechanics Randy Lawson, Cooper Hensley, Mark Miller and Matt Moore."Scott's always been our service manager for the past 30 years or longer," Grant said. They started out working together in 1980 and both got married in 1982, the year the World's Fair came to Knoxville where his father operated the Esso station.Steve Grant is divorced but has two daughters, one in Franklin, Tennessee, and the other near Camp Lejune, North Carolina. He also has five grandchildren.FINAL THOUGHTSAsked for any final thoughts, Grant again complimented the city and contractors."They were very good about letting my customers in," Grant said.