Mitchelton JAXQuickfit tyres gains grip

There's an old adage that suggests 'like father, like son' and it has certainly proved to be the case for the new owner of a Brisbane business.

Warren Aitchison, who has just bought the JAXQuickfit Tyres outlet at Mitchelton in Brisbane's northern suburbs, has been in the tyre industry for 33 years, following in the footsteps of his father.

"Back in the Seventies through to the Nineties, dad owned five tyre stores, all on the NSW Central Coast, and I worked for him.

"We eventually sold all but one, dad retired, and I took over the business - until about five years ago."

At that point, Warren, who was born and bred in Sydney and grew up on the NSW Central Coast, wanted a change of scenery. He decided to try Brisbane.

"But the timing wasn't right. My two boys were both still involved with school and university, so I realised I couldn't do it. But the idea didn't go away and now that they are independent, it is time to make the move."

Warren still owns a JAXQuickfit Tyres outlet on the NSW Central Coast but he bought the Mitchelton store with a very clear idea in mind.

"I'm planning on moving up permanently, later this year. In the meantime, I have an excellent manager - Craig Ryan - and a good team running the show."

He says it wasn't hard to decide on the Mitchelton store because it's in a good location and was trading very well.

"It's been associated with the JAXQuickfit team for about eight years but has actually been a tyre store for about 10 years, so there is a good customer base who are familiar with it.

"Obviously, though, I want to build on that business and the way to do that is to make sure you offer better service than everyone else in town, and a better range of products - and I think we do both."

Warren came into the tyre industry as soon as he left school. It was a logical move after spending so much of his childhood in his father's workshops. He qualified as a mechanic too.

"I realised early on that this was a great business to be in. Every job is different and you're meeting different people every day and solving problems for them. My team and I like to know our customers are safe when they leave the store.

"Aside from any other consideration, taking care of people is how you build a business. Common courtesy really doesn't cost a thing, so if you treat people the way you like to be treated when you're a customer and give them good prices - which is easy with JAXQuickfit's great buying power - they will come back. They will tell their friends and family too."

While he's ready for life in Brisbane now, Warren is glad he changed his mind for the sake of his boys and he's enormously proud of what they have achieved.

"My oldest son is based in London and is racing superbikes over there, but he has degrees in business and marketing to fall back on.

"And my younger son is an apprentice motorcycle mechanic and racing locally.

"I'm really glad they have had the chance to chase their dreams. Good luck to them. I raced bikes till I was about 30 - now I have a boat instead!"

JAXQuickfit Tyres at Mitchelton is one of a chain of 70 stores along the east coast of Australia, from Queensland to Tasmania.

JAXQuickfit Tyres stocks the world's leading tyre brands including BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Dunlop, Falken, Goodyear, Michelin, and Pirelli. It also carries a wide range of top-line alloy and steel wheels, as well as providing a variety of other mechanical services such as brakes and suspension.

Craig Ryan & Warren Aitchison at JAXQuickfit Tyres Mitchelton

February 2008

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