Tire Kingdom is a large American tire store chain located primarily in the southern part of the United States. In 2000, it became a subsidiary of

TBC Corporation TBC Corporation (TBC) is an American corporation and marketer of automotive replacement tires. History In 1956, a purchasing group of tire retailers formed Cordovan Associates. The Company changed its name to Tire & Battery Corporation in 1972. ...

Background

Tire Kingdom was founded by Chuck Curcio in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

in 1972, starting with a location in a farmer's market in

West Palm Beach, Florida West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon. The populati ...

.Harakas, Margo (4 April 1996)
The People's Mall
''Sun Sentinel'' ("Chuck Curcio did start Tire Kingdom at this very spot, though, in a 10-foot-by-20-foot space.") Business grew rapidly and the organization started opening stores throughout Florida and by the late 1980s had expanded through most major markets in the State, with 34 locations by 1984,Gourevitch, Dave (20 June 1984)
For Founder of Tire Kingdom, Success Means Aggressiveness
''Palm Beach Post'' and 67 locations by late 1988.(1 November 1988)
Tire Czar Sells His Kingdom – Michelin Group Will Buy Chain
''Miami Herald'' Curcio became well known for his irreverent late night parties, usually featuring him in outlandish costumes such as Crocket from Miami Vice. Resnick, Rosalind (4 October 2010)
Me & My Brand: Lively Entrepreneurs Ring Up Sales
''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

'' In subsequent years the company expanded to Georgia, Louisiana, Vermont, Ohio, New Hampshire, the Carolinas, and the United States Virgin Islands.

Acquisition by Michelin Group

Curcio sold Tire Kingdom to the Michelin group in a deal that closed in early 1989.Williams, Elisa (4 January 1989)
Sale of Tire Kingdom Completed
''Palm Beach Post'' In 1993, an investment group headed by Goldman Sachs took control, with Curcio returning as part of the team.(16 January 1993)
Tire 'King' Buys Back His Kingdom
'' Miami Herald''Pounds, Marcia Heroux (6 June 2000)
Tire Kingdom Bought Again
''

Sun Sentinel The ''Sun Sentinel'' (also known as the ''South Florida Sun Sentinel'', known until 2008 as the ''Sun-Sentinel'', and stylized on its masthead as ''SunSentinel'') is the main daily newspaper of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as well as surrounding B ...

'' Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Curcio stepped down in 1996,Smith, Jim (22 August 2011)
Catching Up With GM, Prison Bibles, Chuck Curcio & China's Michelin Love Fest
, ''Tire Review'' and TBC Corporation purchased the company in the middle of 2000 for a reported $45 million. TBC Corporation also owns the Big O Tires, National Tire & Battery, and Merchant Tire chains, each of which have separate branding and generally separate territories. On April 3, 2015, TBC Corporation announced that all Tire Kingdom locations outside of Florida would be rebranded under the National Tire & Battery brand.

References

External links

*{{Official website, 1=http://www.tirekingdom.com TBC Corporation American companies established in 1972 Retail companies established in 1972 Automotive part retailers of the United States Automotive repair shops of the United States 2000 mergers and acquisitions Companies based in Palm Beach County, Florida 1972 establishments in Florida