Les Schwab Opening New Tire Store
Les Schwab Tires is the new owner of the long-vacant US West telephone building on Francis Avenue.
The building at 1120 W. Francis sold last week for $1.3 million. The new tire store won’t open on the site for at least six months, said Ed Spray, Spokane zone manager for Les Schwab.
“We want to completely remodel,” he said.
The 33,160-square-foot building, with office and warehouse space, sits on 1.2 acres. It was built in 1971.
Les Schwab, which sells tires and wheels, and repairs brakes, shocks, and performs alignments, currently has seven stores in Spokane. Besides the new store on Francis Avenue, another is planned on the Newport Highway, about a mile north of the Y.
Perfection Tire moving north
Another North Side tire business, Perfection Tire and Auto Repair, is also moving farther north.
Road widening scheduled along Division this summer will swallow most of its parking lot, forcing the business to move from 6105 N. Division, where it has been for 32 years, said Keith Mack, store manager. The new store will be built at 9622 N. Division near the Apple Tree Inn.
“Construction starts this month. We predict we’ll be open by late summer,” said Mack.
The new building will be almost 2,500 square feet bigger than the existing building owned by Tombari Properties.
Car Toys to open this summer
Car Toys, a Seattle-based business specializing in mobile electronics, including car phones, stereo equipment and radar detectors, is opening a store on North Division near Lyons Avenue this summer.
The Seattle-based business will move into the former Fuller-O’Brien Paint store.
Lee Sattler, marketing manager, said the store will hire about 15 employees.
“It is a fun place to go. We have different levels of sound rooms where you can listen to the type of system you want,” said Sattler. “Do you want great sound? Or do you want something to make the windows rattle?”
Sattler said Car Toys offers a wide selection of name brands at competitive prices, with an emphasis on service.
, DataTimes