It has been over two years since the doors closed at Brantley’s Tire, Inc. after nearly 60 years of service to the Atmore area, and now the family name that is synonymous with that service will return to town with a new generation of family tire dealers.

Joe Brantley, who ran the Atmore branch of his family’s tire service, will take over as manager of Atmore’s new Rowland’s Tire Center location on Nashville Avenue when the store opens on July 27.

“It’s kind of strange, because more than likely I’ll be ending my tire career one block from where daddy started right down the street,” Brantley said. “Where Atmore Insurance is, back in the 50s, that was Barnett’s Cash and Carry grocery store and daddy ran it there.”

Chris Rowland, manager of Rowland’s Tire Center in Flomaton, said he is looking forward to bringing the same customer service to Atmore that his family has been providing since their store opened in Flomaton in 1978.

“We are teaming up to bring the best price and service back to Atmore,” Rowland said.

Brantley said the new store is less of a merger and more of an effort on the part of one big family.
“Actually, we’re family,” Brantley said. “Mr. Haywood’s (Rowland) wife, her daddy and my daddy were first cousins.”

Brantley echoed Rowland’s sentiments when it comes to the kind of business they plan to run.

“We want to bring customer service back to Atmore,” he said.

The new location, which will host a grand opening event Saturday, July 27 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., is located at 122 Nashville Avenue.
Rowland said the grand opening will include hamburgers, door prizes and free giveaways.

Regular hours for the new location will be Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

For more information on the new location, calls may be directed to (251) 368-8085.