At this year’s K&M Tire Conference & Trade Show, we sat down with Lyle Bontrager, owner of Tire Star. He shared his journey since buying the family-owned tire business in 2018. Coming from the trucking industry, Lyle made the leap into tire and service work with a lot of hustle. He ran his trucking business in the morning and managed Tire Star in the afternoons until 2021.
Today, Tire Star operates two locations: one in Middlebury with a 60/40 split favoring mechanic work, and a new second store focused on tires.
“The goal is to build it up to match what we have in Middlebury,” Lyle says.
Adapting to a Changing Market
The market continues to challenge businesses like Tire Star.
“With trailer factories slowing down, people are pinching pennies,” Lyle says. “We’ve had to advertise more and adjust to people buying tires online.”
Raising installation prices has helped offset lost margin on tire sales.
K&M Partnership Supports Family-Owned Tire Business
Tire Star partnered with K&M from day one.
“Troy Meyer was there helping us set up,” Lyle says. “Anytime I have a tire question, he’s the first guy I call.”
He also credits K&M’s inventory accuracy as a major advantage:
“If K&M says they have a tire, it’s there. That makes a huge difference with customers.”
Eyes on Growth for 2025
In 2025, Lyle plans to focus on getting the second location running smoothly. He also aims to build Tire Star’s customer base for long-term growth.
Sponsored by K&M Tire.
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