Plaza Tire Service expands to Ozark

The newest Springfield-area location for Plaza Tire Service launched this month in Ozark.

May 6 was opening day for the automotive repair chain’s store at 1950 W. Waverly St., said Jennifer Steele, manager of public relations and communications for Sun Auto Tire & Service Inc. Sun Auto is the owner of the chain, which with the Ozark store’s opening, now has 48 Plaza Tire Service locations in Missouri and 89 across the country, according to a news release.

Plaza Tire, which began operations in 1963, offers 24/7 online appointment scheduling, digital vehicle inspections, nationwide warranties and access to leading tire brands such as Bridgestone, Firestone and Goodyear. It also provides a full range of automotive maintenance and repair services, including alignments, batteries, brake service, oil changes and preventative maintenance, according to the release.

“Missouri continues to be an important market for us,” said Michael Loa, regional vice president with Sun Auto Tire & Service, in the release. “This location allows us to strengthen our presence in the Springfield area while continuing to deliver the consistent, expert know-how our customers expect.”

Steele declined to disclose startup costs for the newly constructed 6,600-square-foot store. It joins other Springfield-area stores, which comprises a trio of locations in the Queen City, as well as shops in Nixa and Lebanon.

“Plaza Tire Service continues to strengthen its reach in southwest Missouri and expand automotive service to the Springfield metro area,” Steele said via email. “Given this strategy, Ozark was a logical and strategic addition to the network.”

She said the Ozark shop employs seven and is led by manager Terry June.

Including Plaza Tire Service, Sun Auto owns and operates more than 575 tire and service centers across the U.S., according to the release.