Local tire store changes its name after 43 years of business
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IDAHO FALLS – George and Stephonie Casanova have been the faces behind Big O Tires at 265 Northgate Mile in Idaho Falls for more than four decades.
As of Sept. 2, the tire store they bought in 1982 is now operating under the name George’s Tire Pros.
In a conversation with EastIdahoNews.com, the couple says there are multiple reasons for the name change.
“The franchise (renewal) was due on Aug. 31. You have to sign for 10 years. George is 75 and I’m 70. We knew that we needed to step back because we found out (George) has cancer,” Stephonie says.
Stephonie says the franchise wanted them to sell the business to a guy in Utah, who owns numerous Big O locations. Their kids have worked in the business for the last 30 years, and the couple wanted to pass it on to them.
While their son, Michael Lallatin, and his sister, Heather Lallatin, will now run the business full-time, the Casanovas still maintain a 50% ownership stake in the store. Heather owns another Big O location in Jackson, which will undergo a similar name change next fall.
Several new lines of tires will be available in conjunction with the name change.
“Continental, which is one of the best tires on the market — that’s one tire we carry,” George says. “The Falcon line, the Hercules line and General also, so we have quite an array of tires that we can offer customers.”
The Casnovas got their start in the tire business back in the 1970s. Both of them were in college at the time and needed a job to make ends meet. George started working in Boise in 1972, where he attended school.
“I was going to Boise State, and I was on the track team. The coach got me a job so I could finish my degree,” says George.
Stephonie started working at the store on Northgate Mile in 1976, which then operated under a different name.
George later moved to Idaho Falls. In 1982, he and his best friend — who was Stephonie’s husband at the time — along with Stephonie, bought the store on Northgate Mile from Dan Howard and opened their first Big O franchise.
“George and my ex-husband walked into a bank and said, ‘We need to borrow X amount of money.’ They said, ‘Do you have any money to put down?’ We said no. They said, ‘Why would we want to give you a loan?’ We said, ‘Because we’re going to make it successful and we’re going to do a great job.’ The banker said, ‘Ok, I believe you,'” Stephonie recalls.
Although the couple were nervous about the purchase, Stephonie says they were young and ambitious and wanted to make a go of it. After 43 years, the Casanovas have no regrets about their decision.
Through the years, Stephonie says it’s the relationship with customers that’s made it a worthwhile venture.
She cites one interaction, in particular, that stands out.
“One time a guy came in the store with his dad and son. He said, ‘I started coming here when I was 16. I didn’t have any credit and I needed to buy some tires. They let me charge them,'” the man said, according to Stephonie.
That experience made him a loyal customer that has continued on with his kids.
“It gives you a good feeling when you see a generation come in that you’ve dealt with for 20 or 25 years,” says George.
The duo says Idaho Falls is a great community to run a tire store. Despite having numerous competitors, the Casanovas see it as a blessing and have worked hard to maintain good associations with other tire shops.
“We try really hard to treat our employees and other people as fair and as right as we can,” says Stephonie. “We definitely can’t please everybody, but we really try to be honest and take care of people.”
Though the couple are stepping back from the day-to-day operation, they’ll still be around and are happy to continue serving customers for as long as they can.
George’s Tire Pros is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a 5 p.m. closing time on Saturday. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.