SM Tire

About Us

SM Tire began operations on May 15, 1946 in Santa Maria, California. George ''Will'' Brown was the founder. He came to the area to play semi-pro baseball for the Santa Maria Indians at the end of WWII, and he liked the area so much he started a tire business in a gas station. In the early 1960?s Will Brown would travel to the Ventura Area on weekends to change and service earthmover tires during the construction of the 101 Freeway. He developed a professional relationship with George Heitz (foreman on the job), and brought him in as a shareholder of Santa Maria Tire, Inc in 1963. In 1965, the Company opened a Bandag Retread Plant in Santa Maria and in 1969, a second Bandag Retread Plant was added in El Rio / Oxnard. Outlets were opened in El Rio / Oxnard (1969), and Atascadero (1977). The emphasis during this period was serving the Commercial Tire Accounts.

In 1983, the owners hired Craig Stephens as the person to succeed them. Craig's background was as a CPA, for an international accounting firm along with experience in the oil drilling business. In 1985 Craig Stephens bought the Company. In 1986, the Company expanded into the ''Retail Tire & Auto Service'' business with the purchase of a Goodyear Company Owned Facility in Santa Maria. Expansion has continued on the Central Coast in the communities of Arroyo Grande and San Luis Obispo. In 1998, the Company changed it operational name from Santa Maria Tire, Inc, to ''SM Tire.''

In October of 2012 SM Tire added it's 7th Central Coast branch in San Luis Obispo CA.