RGA Tire ~ 40 YEARS OF QUALITY SERVICE
Let the pros at RGA Tire handles your Automotive Services needs
Located in Pelham New Hampshire, RGA Tire has been in business since 1967. Here is a short story on how three generations of a family business began.
It started one day when our father’s friend stopped by the house and “sold” us some used tires. The man said, “I’m putting you in the tire business Romeo!” Our father said, “No way”. Back then there was an old barn out in front of our house in the same location we are today. The man dropped those tires off on the lawn. In fact, he just drove away without saying a word. Our father, Romeo said, “Well, we might as well carry them into the barn.” We put a sign out in front of the house ($3.00 to $5.00 bucks a piece). People actually stopped and bought those tires. At that point we had a dirt driveway and not much else at the time.
About fall of 1967 people started asking about recapped tires, we went to Lowell to a salesman named Frank Lessard. Frank was the manager of a Goodyear tire store. Our father wanted to buy 12 recapped snow tires.
Frank asked our father, “How are you going to pay for them?” He didn’t know, so he said, “Frank, We don’t know. We have no money”. Frank said, “See if you sell them and go from there, I’ll work with you.”
Then Frank said, “What’s the name of your company?” Our father said, “We don’t have one how about if we name it RGA? RGA stood for the boy’s names in our family, Raymond, Gerard and Arthur. And so RGA Tire was born!
Anyway, we got the credit for the 12 recaps that particular day and we sold the recapped snow tires to people who drove buy and bought them.
Eventually we bought our first floor jack and balancer on credit. When we went to buy the floor jack and balancer, the salesman Ray said, “How are you going guys to pay for that?” We told Ray we didn’t have any money. Ray said, “I’ll work with you”. We paid Ray 10 bucks a week until they were paid off.
In 1968 we went down to the local junkyard and bought a $25.00 tire machine. Up until then, it was all manual labor for us to break the bead down and to change the tire. That original machine was a big help to us.
Throughout the years as the business grew, the shop bought a compressor for $20.00 and also worked it out with Ray until it was paid for. In 1968 we had a cement platform put down so we could work on the cars and tires. Up until then we had to work on the ground.
By the spring of 1968 we were selling recaps, new tires and also mounting and balancing them. We worked and worked until we made enough money to hot top the driveway. After about 5 years we also made enough to add an expansion and added on a small two stall garage. The garage was a major upgrade form working mostly outside and on the side of the house. We use to heat the garage with a wood stove and went through about 15 cords of wood a year just to heat it.
In 1969 we started doing minor auto repairs and over the years, we grew, upgraded, and eventually started purchasing 200 to 300 recapped tires at a time.
Over time my brothers and I worked in and around the shop. My brother Ray returned to the family business full time in about 1986 and Gerry came back about 15 years ago, but Gerry eventually returned to carpentry work.
In the early 1990’s we added on a 4,000 square foot building with four additional service bays. This took our business to new heights now being able to service anything that “goes down the road.”
In 2005 we added Towing and Recovery to the list of services we provide which included the addition of 2 medium duty car carriers, light duty wrecker, and medium duty wrecker (and growing). We started towing for our customers and many other local auto related firms, as well being on Local Police and State Police recovery list.
Shaun and Jason our sons grew up in and around the shop. As young men they were with us learning Auto repair, and the tire business. Learning the family business Jason and Shaun work in the shop every day, running the daily operations with our team of employees. We hold our employees to the highest standard of training and education for this every evolving industry.
On behalf of RGA Tire, we would like to say thank you to our customers for the many years of service you have provided us. Our customers, family, friends and staff have always helped make RGA Tire a successful family run business and we truly appreciate it.
Thank you,
The Croteau Family
September, 2012
It started one day when our father’s friend stopped by the house and “sold” us some used tires. The man said, “I’m putting you in the tire business Romeo!” Our father said, “No way”. Back then there was an old barn out in front of our house in the same location we are today. The man dropped those tires off on the lawn. In fact, he just drove away without saying a word. Our father, Romeo said, “Well, we might as well carry them into the barn.” We put a sign out in front of the house ($3.00 to $5.00 bucks a piece). People actually stopped and bought those tires. At that point we had a dirt driveway and not much else at the time.
About fall of 1967 people started asking about recapped tires, we went to Lowell to a salesman named Frank Lessard. Frank was the manager of a Goodyear tire store. Our father wanted to buy 12 recapped snow tires.
Frank asked our father, “How are you going to pay for them?” He didn’t know, so he said, “Frank, We don’t know. We have no money”. Frank said, “See if you sell them and go from there, I’ll work with you.”
Then Frank said, “What’s the name of your company?” Our father said, “We don’t have one how about if we name it RGA? RGA stood for the boy’s names in our family, Raymond, Gerard and Arthur. And so RGA Tire was born!
Anyway, we got the credit for the 12 recaps that particular day and we sold the recapped snow tires to people who drove buy and bought them.
Eventually we bought our first floor jack and balancer on credit. When we went to buy the floor jack and balancer, the salesman Ray said, “How are you going guys to pay for that?” We told Ray we didn’t have any money. Ray said, “I’ll work with you”. We paid Ray 10 bucks a week until they were paid off.
In 1968 we went down to the local junkyard and bought a $25.00 tire machine. Up until then, it was all manual labor for us to break the bead down and to change the tire. That original machine was a big help to us.
Throughout the years as the business grew, the shop bought a compressor for $20.00 and also worked it out with Ray until it was paid for. In 1968 we had a cement platform put down so we could work on the cars and tires. Up until then we had to work on the ground.
By the spring of 1968 we were selling recaps, new tires and also mounting and balancing them. We worked and worked until we made enough money to hot top the driveway. After about 5 years we also made enough to add an expansion and added on a small two stall garage. The garage was a major upgrade form working mostly outside and on the side of the house. We use to heat the garage with a wood stove and went through about 15 cords of wood a year just to heat it.
In 1969 we started doing minor auto repairs and over the years, we grew, upgraded, and eventually started purchasing 200 to 300 recapped tires at a time.
Over time my brothers and I worked in and around the shop. My brother Ray returned to the family business full time in about 1986 and Gerry came back about 15 years ago, but Gerry eventually returned to carpentry work.
In the early 1990’s we added on a 4,000 square foot building with four additional service bays. This took our business to new heights now being able to service anything that “goes down the road.”
In 2005 we added Towing and Recovery to the list of services we provide which included the addition of 2 medium duty car carriers, light duty wrecker, and medium duty wrecker (and growing). We started towing for our customers and many other local auto related firms, as well being on Local Police and State Police recovery list.
Shaun and Jason our sons grew up in and around the shop. As young men they were with us learning Auto repair, and the tire business. Learning the family business Jason and Shaun work in the shop every day, running the daily operations with our team of employees. We hold our employees to the highest standard of training and education for this every evolving industry.
On behalf of RGA Tire, we would like to say thank you to our customers for the many years of service you have provided us. Our customers, family, friends and staff have always helped make RGA Tire a successful family run business and we truly appreciate it.
Thank you,
The Croteau Family
September, 2012