BOISE, Idaho — The staff at Big O Tires at the two Boise locations are serving an unusually high number of customers, according to owner Chris Brooks.
Continuous snowfall and unpredictable driving conditions are driving up tire sales along with the labor for tire changes. A worker in the shop told KTVB he has worked three straight 10-hour days to meet the demand for service that's roughly doubled.
"We're buying all of them lunch today, for sure," Big O Manager Nate Kennedy said. "We were getting ready to close last night and a customer came in slipping and sliding. We had the tires in stock, and these guys were more than happy to stay here past close. We got them done."
Big O Tires offers customers multiple options based on their needs. Despite high demand, the business is confidently stocked on all its tire options. That includes all-season and snow-specific tires at both locations.
The shop shuttles stock between both locations and refers to their warehouse in Salt Lake City when needed.
"I actually got stuck in my driveway when the snowstorm came. My wheels were spinning out, my back wheels really needed - the tread was real low," customer Jessica Perry said. "I have a nine-year-old son. So, he's in the car with me. I just need to make sure I have really good tires."
Perry preferred the all-season tire option due to the low maintenance of the product. Dry pavement chews up snow tires, according to a worker on the floor; however, snow tires have wider tread and do provide more traction on snowy roads.
"It's slippery out there," Kennedy said. "You need air pressure checked? Alignment checked? We'll do it for free today. Okay, that's the model we have."
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