PEABODY — Sullivan Tire and Auto Service has opened a second auto repair shop in Peabody.
With a shop already in the downtown area on Washington Street, the new location on Andover Street (Route 114) will take over operations of Direct Tire. Sullivan Tire purchased the business following the death of Direct Tire owner Barry Steinberg.
Vice President of Marketing Paul Sullivan said the transaction was bittersweet.
“Barry was a great man and a great advocate for the independent tire people, and I have the utmost appreciation for him,” Sullivan said. “This came about due to the unfortunate circumstances of his passing. Through it all, his business remained strong and our promise is to certainly support his customers the way he would — with nothing but the best service.”
As part of the acquisition, Sullivan also has taken over operations at Direct Tire in Medway, bringing the total number of Sullivan shops to 75 throughout Greater Boston and New England.
Sullivan believes that 99 percent of Direct’s employees will stay on.
“We’re going to treat every one of our nearly 1,300 employees as if they were members of the Sullivan family,” he said. “We have wonderful benefits and also provide a great opportunity for people to be trained in auto diagnostics.
“We hope to retain all of the employees to carry on the tradition of excellence that Direct customers and our customers have come to expect,” he said.
According to Sullivan, the pandemic posed unique challenges for many independents, especially when it came to keeping operations as normal as possible during the emergency shutdown.
“We were designated as an essential business and had to be on call at all times as we service police, ambulance, medical staff and state and federal government agencies, so we stressed to our employees that we had to continue allowing the people we serve to keep roads safe and take care of the needs of essential workers,” Sullivan said. “These people were sacrificing so much, so we took that as a charge and learned how important our role in the transportation industry is.”
If there is a silver lining, Sullivan said, it’s being able to focus on the little things that he believes are of utmost importance to be successful.
“It’s attention to detail, it’s being able to treat every customer who walks in the door as the most important customer. That has allowed us to continue to provide expert service during these 14 months that I can only describe as horrific,” Sullivan said. “We constantly reinforced and reminded one and all that we need to be good to one another in order to continue to do our part. Now, I think people are still a bit apprehensive, but there is beginning to be the feeling that spring is eternal.”
Sullivan Tire is no stranger to Peabody, having had a location near the site of the Shaw’s Supermarket at the Northshore Mall for many years before being forced to shut down in the 1980s due to redevelopment. Sullivan Tire reopened on Washington Street in 2009.
Sullivan is “thrilled” to double Sullivan Tire’s presence in Peabody.
“This new location is only about three miles away, and it’s a little bit different type of shop, but we’re really excited about it,” said Sullivan. “We have always enjoyed our relationship with the Peabody people and those in surrounding communities. I’m proud to say Sullivan Tire is entrenched in the city of Peabody. Our intention is to take the baton from Barry and run our leg of the race.”
Sullivan Tire is a family-owned-and-operated business that has been serving customers in New England since Bob “The Chef” Sullivan and his wife, Mary founded the business in 1955 — on a dead-end street in Rockland, as Bob Sullivan & Sons Tire. Since then, the company has expanded to 109 total locations (including distribution centers, commercial outlets, warehouses and administrative offices).
“Our motto then and now has always been the same — treat everyone, customers and fellow employees, as you would a member of your family,” said Sullivan, who regularly appears in company advertisements surrounded by his young family members. “My father felt loyal to his people. It’s the guiding principle on which this company is built.”
