Consolidation is a big buzzword right now in the tire industry. Independent family-owned tire business is still a major part of the industry, but there are far fewer today than, say, 20 years ago. That’s part of what makes Jim Stocking Jr., owner of Park Tire Company in Lincoln Park, Michigan, special.
He represents the fourth generation of a family business that’s been serving the community since 1933. Now part of Tire Review’s 2025 Club 3633 class, he honors his family’s legacy while embracing the future.
Four Generations of Service
“My great-grandfather started the company,” Jim says. “It was passed down to my grandfather, then my dad, who’s still here, and now to me.”
Jim was just five years old when he began coming into the shop with his father. Through middle and high school, he worked summers, eventually joining full-time in 2004. He manages day-to-day billing, selling, and ordering — and even heads to the shop floor when needed.
“I’ve been in and out of this place my whole life,” Jim recalls. “[The automotive industry] is truly what I know best. I do it all. Even if something needs to be installed, I’ll install it. We have a great crew [in the shop], but I go out there often just to help out.”
Modernizing a Family Tire Business for the Future
Since becoming owner, Jim has done everything he can to modernize Park Tire. That includes updating tools for services like TPMS and introducing short-form videos for social media. Jim and his brother, who studied media and manages Park Tire, create a series of informational videos across popular sites like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
“We thought, ‘How can we drum up more business?’” Jim explains. “We came up with the idea of short-form videos and just started filming at lunch one day. It’s driven in more business than we ever thought. We’re connecting with [customers] who live a couple of hours away and come to buy tires from us. It’s been cool to see social media connect us with people who aren’t driving down the street and see our signage.”
Giving Back to the Community
Despite how committed Jim is to improving Park Tire, he makes it a point to support the community as much as possible. For example, Park Tire supports high school sports and charity golf outings, and even does full-service fleet care for the local police department, including vehicle pickup and drop-off.
“[The department] was looking for a shop to service their fleet of vehicles and get everything done at one place,” Jim says. “They didn’t want to send their vehicles around town for various services. So we do everything for them – exhaust work, brake jobs, tires and full inspections.”
Family Still Drives the Business Today
Jim knows that carrying on the legacy of a family business involves more than just solid values. He says family is central to everything, including taking the term “family business” literally. His dad still has a presence, his wife handles the books, his youngest brother runs shop operations, and his kids are already showing interest in the business at a young age, just as he did.
“I’ve got four kids between the ages of 3 and 14. Any chance they get, they love coming to the shop,” he says. “They love learning new things. And you know what? It’s a skill that a lot of people don’t have the ability to do. We need more young people who want to work on cars and keep people moving.”
