Fisher Tire empire marks 70-year milestone
Ray Fisher Jr., left, owner of Fisher Tire Company branches in Bearden and West Knoxville, said one of the best things about living and having a business in the same place is making long-time friends, such as Harry Hall, right.
His family-owned company is marking its 70th anniversary this year, and he celebrated his 75th birthday Aug. 16.
Fisher credits the company’s success to the relationships he and his team have made with their customers.
“Our longevity has been based on being a family business,” he said.
“We love our customers,” Fisher added. “Our customers are like family. I see someone in a restaurant and they know our people by name.”
Since 1967, Fisher said the company’s motto has been “Good service is our responsibility.”
“That is something we pounded home on each other and made it a real thing,” he said. “I think we’ve maintained the highest customer service and latest equipment, which is very important.
“We’ve always been the leader in the service end of it,” Fisher added.
Fisher Tire is a full-service tire company that not only services tires but also services breaks, alignments, timing belts, struts, shocks, suspensions, alternators and batteries and more.
Fisher’s father, Ray Fisher Sr., started the business initially as a service station in 1948.
“My uncle loaned him $500 to start a service station,” Fisher recalled. “It actually started as a Texaco.
“Dad was a POW in World War II,” he added. “When the war was over in 1945, he got out of the prison camp.”
When he returned, Ray Sr. wanted to go into the service station business, so his brother loaned him the money.
“He started (the business) on Oak Street,” near what used to be “Malfunction Junction,” which is now I-75 and I-40 interchange, Fisher. said.
“I worked for my dad all my life,” he added, recalling he pumped gas at age 12.
“Even through (Carson-Newman) College, I worked with him on the weekends.”
When he got out of college, “that’s when I really got involved in the business,” Fisher said. “My passion was in the marketing part of it — that is what I majored (in).”
In 1950, Texaco offered Ray Fisher Sr. a new service station along Broadway in North Knoxville.
“We eventually bought the property and renamed (the business) Fisher Tire,” Fisher said.
In 1970, Ray Fisher Jr. opened the Bearden store, and his family opened the West Knoxville location in 1990.
“As we expanded, marketing was necessary because then we were a Knoxville business and a West Knoxville business, and we had to get our name out,” he said. “I love the marketing end of it. That’s why I love being part of the Farragut West Knoxville Chamber of Commerce.
Fisher said the business “has always been about image, relationships and our customers.
“We’re humble about the way we do things — our customers know that and appreciate that — and they know we care for them,” he added. “We’ve been here (in the area) all our lives, so we value our relationship in the community.”
For example, he volunteers his time at the Mission of Hope every Tuesday, sponsors Fellowship of Christian Athletes and works with numerous high schools, including Farragut and Bearden.
While Fisher’s brother, Bob Fisher, owns and operates the original business near Broadway, Ray Fisher Jr. owns both the West Knoxville and Bearden stores. His son-in-law, Kile Hardesty, oversees the West Knoxville branch, while Ray Jr. operates the Bearden location.
The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
For more information, call 865-691-5858 or e-mail fishertire01@gmail.com.
