Discount Tire Breaks Ground in Carlsbad

By Misty Cryer

Discount Tire is a reputable tire and wheel retailer with stores across the nation. On a warm day in early spring, March 30, the Carlsbad Department of Development (CDOD) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony to open the development project on the south side of Carlsbad, at 4015 National Parks Highway, the future home of Discount Tire.

Community members, including representatives of the City of Carlsbad and the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, joined in welcoming the Discount Tire team at the construction site, nestled between Sleep Inn and Hyatt House on the west side of the highway.

When asked why the company chose Carlsbad to open a new store, Anthony Eichenlaub, Discount Tire’s Regional Vice President, said, “It is obviously one of the fastest growing communities in New Mexico, so we’re excited to do that.” He said, “Our mission as a company is to make more dreams come true, so we’re always looking for opportunities to do that for our people.”

The first consideration and priority of Discount Tire is to keep customers safe, said Eichenlaub. “We’re looking forward to bringing expert tire and wheel advice to the City of Carlsbad and people of Carlsbad, and keeping them safe on the roads,” he said.

Jeff Campbell, Director of Marketing and Business Development with CDOD, opened the ceremony, welcoming and thanking the Discount Tire team and attendees. He said, “We’re here on the south side of Carlsbad, where there is a lot of growth and a lot of opportunity. We are happy to see a new business coming into our market.”

Kristen Gamboa, CDOD’s Executive Director, was introduced and shared a few words before explaining the role of CDOD and giving a shout-out to Campbell for his efforts in helping put the project together.

She said, “To me, this project represents more than just new business. What it really means is that it is a signal from national brands, like Discount Tire, that they see what we see at CDOD and what our membership strives for. We see growth, opportunities, and most of all, a strong future here in Carlsbad.”

Campbell recognized project partners, including Discount Tire, REPcre of El Paso, the City of Carlsbad, and everyone at Eddy County, before introducing the mayor of Carlsbad, Rick Lopez, who thanked everyone for coming and expressed his excitement.

“As our community grows, businesses like this are so important for our community. There is such a need here, and thank you, Discount Tire, for recognizing that,” he said. “We plan on breaking all of your records because that’s what we do here in Carlsbad.

“This is very important to us here in Carlsbad, because Carlsbad is open for business,” Mayor Lopez said.

Susan Crockett, a lifelong resident of Carlsbad and Board President of CDOD, said the project is one of several currently underway in which CDOD is involved across Carlsbad and Eddy County. “Expanding our commercial development gives our community more options, and that is always a great thing,” she said.

“Carlsbad continues to grow, and with that growth comes strong demand for retail opportunities,” said Crockett. “CDOD is committed to bringing new business and amenities to our community, and Discount Tire is a great addition to our market.”

Crockett recognized that locations on the south side of Carlsbad support the continued development in the area alongside new restaurants and retail. “We look forward to building strong partnerships and continuing to bring new opportunities to Carlsbad,” she said.

When addressing the crowd, Eichenlaub thanked the representatives of Carlsbad and said, “We’re excited about breaking ground on our 23rd store in New Mexico and West Texas.” Highlighting the company’s number one priority of keeping people safe, he said, “With that said, we do free flat repairs, free tire inspections, free alignment checks, free rotate and balances; even if you are not a customer of ours or didn’t buy tires from us. We’re here to get you back safely on the road.”

The ceremony ended with grabbing shovels and hard hats and turning the dirt to officially open the project, as directed by Campbell.

The career section of Discount Tire’s website lists a variety of unique perks and benefits for employees, including a “Promote from Within Culture.”

Discount Tire is expected to open at the end of the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter of this year, said Eichenlaub, adding that they will start hiring and training part-time employees about two months before the “go-live” date. “We’re already looking for assistant managers and full-time staff to see who is going to take this store,” he said.