The new store is opening with a bang this Friday and Saturday.
Between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on April 27 and April 28, the grand opening at 9653 Belair Road will include charitable donations, prizes and food. Tires, oil changes and brake jobs will also be sold at discounted prices, according to store manager Michael Wagoner.
The store plans to make donations to the Baltimore County Police Department and during a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday at 11 a.m. Prizes include iPads, gift cards and TVs. Saturday's activities will include clowns and face painting for children.
"We want to say thank you to the citizens of Perry Hall," Wagoner said. "Without them, we're not in business."
What do you think about the new store? How do you think it will impact business at other local auto shops? Tell us in the comments.
Boycott, nah, how about a hot dog though!
Welcoming them to Perry Hall is not cheering anyone on. Renee, I cannot even fathom the stuff you have bought from "conglomerates". Do you shop at the big box stores, do you shop at the chain supermarkets, do you frequent Wal-Mart or Target? Come on, get real. Do you have an Apple product. Come clean.
Paul, I very rarely shop from Walmart or Target. I do my grocery shopping at MOM's and my other shopping [what I would buy from Walmart or Target (not clothes)] from a wellness online store where there is only 1 store (they've grown of course) who really and truly gives back to the community and the people who shop with them. So, don't pretend you know me!@ And no, I do not have an Apple product! Sorry to burst your bubble!
Anyone with half a brain won't leave their local merchant for an unknown chain. it's completely counter-intuitive to looking out for your own best interests. Now, simple things like oil changes and the like, I agree that Firestone will likely take some of that away, then again, the reason for this is convenience. generally they can crank out basic stuff like this quicker - and you can't really fleece people on pricing of these.
In the interest of full disclosure I believe I know what I am talking about. I have been a CPA for over 30 years, I have owned and still do several small businesses and I have competed against the unfair Big Guys for over 15 years and enjoy the fight. Do they have advantages yes, but so do I. Have a great weekend.
Besides, I haven't easily forgotten all of the problems (some fatal) with Firestone tires about 10 years ago. Some of these tires are still on vehicles and causing fatal accidents. Refer to: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7410017
I get my windshield wipers from local! As for the other, I do not buy- for the life of me I cannot figure why you would.
For one, smaller shops do not even enjoy doing oil changes. It takes up one of their bays, and in an interest of being somewhat competitive they cannot charge their usual 70+/ labor charge for that bay. They usually do oil changes just to keep their customers happy. Tires might be the only other thing that firestone could really beat the local shops on, and I would bet if all of the shops lost their tire sales but kept their other business they would not be in too bad of shape. I know if I have to get my oil changed at a “big” shop because of a time pinch they always come back with all types of things that I need to have fixed. I never let them fix them for me, I always go back to my local shop and have them take a look at the list and ask them what they think I need. This is because I trust them and I think most others trust their local shop too. This is why I think if you do a fair and honest business in Perry Hall you will be virtually unchanged by the opening of the Firestone store.
And I use a locally owned accounting practice in Dundalk for my taxes- again, totally different ballpark than mechanics, pharmacies, etc. Not sure who you use Ryan, but my mechanic doesn't mind oil changes- business is business. And mine have never charged a lot for labor, sometimes doing services free of charge if it is small!