New Tire
When going to tire shops (and most other mechanically-oriented establishments), I've always, for whatever reason, opted towards the larger chain shops. I realize now that this makes no sense, but I had this idea that they were forced to adhere to some code of business conduct and weren't allowed by their superiors and/or the Better Business Bureau to falsify problems and rip me off. Further, running a successful chain must require, to some extent, fast, friendly service. Right?
This is, of course, ridiculous. Big business is not out for anyone's better interests beyond those of the CEOs, and quality service as company policy seems near extinction. This is hardly a secret.
So, when Victoria called me from somehwere of I-10 and I-35 with a flat tire, I sort of had this mode about me that we would stop at a Tires Plus or something to that effect. Again, this was at least three days ago, I was young and naďve.
Well, the closest shop we came upon was Called Neumáticos Nuevos y Usados or something to that effect on West Ave. The "shop", as it were, was basically a small garage with a dirt floor and three guys sitting around drinking beer and watching a western on TV.
Like, no shit, five minutes and we were out with two new tires. The guys just cranked up some crazy machine to pull the old tire off the wheel and replace it with a new one, right there... Five minutes. No dejected college dropout in a blue polo shirt typing on an archaic computer, "Uh, yeah, I don'tknow if we have thisone in stock... I think there's one at the 1604 and I-35 location, I could, like call them... Let me get my manager, his lunch break is done in twenty minutes or something." And, better yet, I paid less than I ever have at a major chain!
Small business wins again!
AND SPEAKING OF SMALL BUSINESS!
SARC shirts are still on sale!
Some of you have been asking about ordering via snail mail. This is coming, I assure you. I need to save up to rent a P.O. Box first and they're like twenty bucks. In due time!