April 6, 2018—Gray’s Tire & Service Center is celebrating its 20th Anniversary since first opening its doors to serve the community in Wetumpka, Ala., in March 1998.
Founder, owner and operator, David Gray, of Wetumpka, is thankful for the two decades of support and patronage from the Tri-County area. During that time, Gray’s Tire & Service Center has grown to include four locations in Auburn, Montgomery and Wetumpka. This growth has helped to increase jobs and additional options for customers.
“We are grateful to our customers and our community for their support over the last 20 years, and we strive to satisfy our customers’ needs, and hope to exceed their expectations, and be a good corporate citizen," said Gray.
Gray has always had a passion for the automotive business and has been intrigued with all things mechanical including cars and motorcycles since a very young age. Growing up, Gray would spend most Saturdays working odd jobs and help clean and prepare cars for sale at his grandfather’s used car dealership. While at the car lot, Gray often pestered Amos Broadway, the chief mechanic, with many questions. Broadway later opened his own very successful mechanic shop in Montgomery, which Gray would purchase years later when Broadway retired.
During Gray’s high school years, he worked at a local automotive shop sweeping floors and working his way up to become an automotive technician and then into management. While working full-time, Gray continued to educate himself by attending technical college, studying Automotive Technology.
At the age of 22, Gray took a big leap of faith to start his own business. He found a vacant tire store location in Wetumpka, which became the very first store for Gray’s Tire & Service Center. Before its opening in March 1998, Gray’s family and friends worked together as a team and spent countless hours cleaning, painting and repairing the store.
During this time, Gray was very fortunate to have many supporters for his new endeavor most importantly, his wife Julie. She persevered through all of the challenges of the new business with grace and patience and continues to be supportive and helpful today.
With four locations and a fifth one in the works, Gray’s Tire and Service Center owes much of its longevity to its dedicated employees, now more than 35 strong. One particular employee, Robert O. Griggs, an ASE Master Certified Automotive Technician, has been with Gray’s Tire & Service Center from the beginning and remains a tremendous asset to the company and customers with his expert skills. Griggs is a friend and mentor to Gray, sharing his knowledge and expertise in helping hone Gray’s skills since Gray was eighteen.