The Bend, Ore.-based tire retailer built all five stores since it announced it was coming to Colorado in March.
Customers might be taken aback at first by the chain’s service model, which harkens back to the days of full-service gas stations: A Les Schwab employee runs out to the car when a customer pulls on the lot.
“Sometimes they unroll their windows and ask if they parked in the wrong spot, but a majority of customers are excited and happy to be taken care of,” said Jeff Lowry, area manager for Colorado. “Our big deal is service.”
Since the Aurora store opened first on Sept. 21, Les Schwab officials used it for a training store for the 60 or so employees hired to work the five stores. Most of those hires were made locally, Lowry said.
Les Schwab has 374 company-owned stores nationwide, mostly in the western United States, including the new stores in Denver. The company has sold $1.4 billion worth of tires as of January, Lowry said.
The total number of Les Schwab stores is 440, with 6,660 employees.
The company picked metro Denver to open its first five Colorado stores because of the growing population and improving local economy, Lowry said. “It’s a great community and we’re excited to be a part of it.”
Grand opening celebrations for the stores are planned for Thursday through Saturday, with free food, cake and soft drinks. Saturday, the company is giving away Denver Nuggets tickets and allowing local high schools to sell tickets to on-site food trucks for fundraisers.
Congratulations to Tami Lord and Peter Pavlakis of Legend Retail Group for their work in helping Les Schwab open their first stores in Colorado!
Legend Retail Group
5150 East Yale Circle, Suite 400
Denver, Colorado 80222
www.legendretailgroup.com
The new stores are located at:
• 3430 N. Tower Rd., Aurora, opened Sept. 2.
• 2001 Federal Blvd, Denver, opened Oct. 15.
• 945 Sergeant Jon Stiles Dr. Highlands Ranch, opening Thursday.
• Littleton: 13331 W Bowles Ave., Littleton, opened Oct 5.
• Parker: 11265 Pikes Peak Dr., Parker, opening Thursday.
