Northern Hospitality

Don’t dig out your Rand McNally – Watertown, N.Y., is located between Syracuse and the Canadian border, give or take a few miles, in some of the most beautiful “wild country” left in America. About 10 miles north of the Cheney Tire dealership in Watertown you’ll find Fort Drum, a 107,265-acre military installation and home to the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Light Infantry Division.

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One of the snowiest cities in the contiguous 48, Watertown can count on at least 114 inches of snow yearly, a total that has also been measured at 200+ inches.

Located just 25 miles from the Canadian border, Cheney Tire is a family-owned business that has been selling tires in Watertown for 54 consecutive years. Two things are in play here, the first of which is the growing business from Fort Drum, where 15,000 troops and their families are stationed, as well as another 10,000 who are currently overseas.

Second, Cheney is the beneficiary of Canadian business when the value of the dollar favors customers north of the border. “We have enjoyed some very good years thanks our Canadian friends,” says owner John Cheney. On top of that, he’s doing business in a town of 35,000 people, many who trust him like their own family. Hey, after 54 years as the tire icon of Watertown, why not?

Cheney Tire’s customer service philosophy is simple – take care of the customer, and they will take care of you. This was the mantra that founder Dennis Cheney routinely pounded into his employee’s heads. “Whether that means staying late at night, eating part of a bill if warranted or going the extra mile, you will make it back when customers and their friends come back to the dealership.”

Customer Mix
A significant amount of Cheney Tire’s business comes from the contractors who continue to add roads, buildings and other requirements at Fort Drum. “This is serious business that requires such things as strict military background checks for employees. We might have to wait 30 to 40 minutes at the main gate in order to gain access,” John Cheney says.

As far as the sub-contractors who have been hired by Fort Drum, when they need tires they need tires. For Cheney, that means front loader and farm tires that are used for purposes that are highly classified. “We also provide foam-filled tires for at least 40 Bobcats on base and lots of farm and mower tires for vehicles used to keep the base grounds looking spit-shined and standing tall.

“This is a healthy portion of our business,” says Cheney, who noted that he also supplies tires to an auto care facility located on the base. “This year, between Jan. 1 and May 30, we have sold 900 tires through the base outlet alone. And we hear that another battalion may soon be added to the base.”

In recent years, business from Fort Drum has grown by roughly 50%, an audience Cheney Tire advertises to and services with the respect it deserves, Cheney notes. “We offer discounts for military personnel and constantly strive to do our best for these folks who are laying it all on the line.”

The other major side of Cheney’s business – customers from Canada – can swing back and forth. At present, he indicates that the U.S. dollar is just about on par with Canadian currency. “But last fall (2007) Canadian currency was valued at $1.10 against the U.S. dollar and we enjoyed a lot of incremental business from our friends immediately to our north.”

Interestingly, Cheney says most of this added Canadian business is rooted in the high-end portion of his total marketplace. “We see lots of BMWs, Porsches and other exotics coming down from north of the border for high-priced, speed-rated tires. It makes sense for them and we’re always delighted to see them coming in for service,” he says.

“Because we are so close to the border, we are also just a few miles away from the beautiful 1,000 Islands resort area. For that reason alone we welcome vacationer business to those headed for such a majestic area and those headed beyond to Ottawa or Quebec. It’s an attraction enjoyed by both Americans and those from other countries, some of whom head south into our country on their way to Niagara Falls.”

Winter Service
If you’re unfamiliar with snow country tire dealers, understand this: It’s an entirely different lifestyle where sometimes nearly anything goes. That’s why Cheney’s stocking order for pure winter tires stands at 4,000 units. Further, the shop regularly installs lift kits, but no higher than 14 inches, and will even cut metal to make the new tires and wheels fit properly. Also taken into strict consideration is the load-carrying capability of each installation.

“We do what we can to keep Watertown moving when the snow says no and we need to go,” says Cheney. “Often people think of Rancho Suspension systems as strictly western in nature, but up here we rely on this company to help give our customers the advantage over a serious snow storm with white-out conditions and deep, deep, snow on the ground. It’s a big part of what we do here and it adds to the sum that is Cheney Tire.”

As you might expect, the upstate New York dealer sells lots of winter tires like the Bridgestone Blizzak and an equal number of black steel wheels. “We wrap the summer tires and wheels in plastic and send them home with the customer so they can ride out the brutal winters we experience,” he says.

“Because our competition is Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club, who really know very little about tires and custom fitments, we get a ton of business when they refer customers to us,” says Cheney. “Even the Goodyear company store in our market is one of our best customers. When they need what we have in stock we’re only a phone call away from more profitability.”

Cheney and his techs are all ASE certified, high-performance certified and ACDelco certified. “Up here you need to be ready for anything,” says Cheney.

Gaining Success
To help get the word out about Cheney Tire, the company has two large box trucks that serve as rolling billboards. “We also sponsor the local Big Brothers and Sisters program, along with tournament holes at two or three local golf courses. We donate money to the Northern N.Y. Childrens’ Clinic, as well as semi-pro red-flag football and we pay for the shirts worn by some local lacrosse teams.”

“In our off-site warehouse we lease approximately 38,000 square feet of office space at below-market rates to three non-profit organizations including the American Red Cross, Cornell’s Cooperation Extension and Volunteer Association for Seniors.”

Cheney also played host recently to the Big Foot monster truck and sponsors a night at the Can-Am Speedway, a dirt track typical of the kind of racing fans enjoy in upstate New York. In other words, if you need tires for snow, summer and everything in between, Cheney Tire has the answer.

How does Cheney make it all work? The shop is open for business 58 hours a week and Cheney, along with his uncle, Tom Cheney, spend 60 to 75 hours each week at the dealership. “We don’t have any part-time employees, so we take it upon ourselves to see that every job is completed to perfection. That’s how it works for our customers, and that’s how it works for us.”

Cheney also stocks and sells loads of snow throwers and lawn mowers for which he provides tires and service. This aspect of the family’s business is a throwback to a time when a hardware business was part of the operation.

Whether it’s Corvettes, lawn mowers, snow blowers, TPMS service, slammed S-10 pickups or lifted Ford F-150s, Cheney is ready and waiting for his Canadian friends, Watertown and Fort Drum customers and vacationers stuck with a problem. He’s also waiting to enroll at Syracuse University’s MBA program to add to his bachelors in economics from Duke University, where he studied in market and management along with U.S. Air Force Leadership training. It’s that kind of knowledge and willingness to serve that make Cheney Tire a Top Shop semi-finalist.