Vancouver tire shop still rolling and rotating after 3 decades

Still Standing is a series about the small businesses in the Lower Mainland that have managed to stay open despite the challenges.

When Jordan Wong was a little kid, his dad Ed would take him to the East Vancouver auto shop he managed and let him ride up and down on the vehicle hoist when there were no customers around.

"I always thought that was the best thing in the world," Wong said.

Fast-forward and a grown Wong now works at Grandview Tire & Auto Centre as a customer service advisor. His father, Ed Wong, is now his boss.

The shop, located at 2886 Commercial Drive, was bought by owner John Chilton in 1985. He asked his trusted friend Ed Wong to manage the business in 1995 and 25 years later it is a trusted neighbourhood garage with many repeat customers. Those customers are helping the garage beat the odds in a city where many small businesses have not.

Ed Wong compared the secret to their success to finding the right dentist, saying when people find one they trust they stick with them, even if the client doesn't really like the reason they need their services.

"It's always painful to see your dentist and it's always painful to see your auto mechanic," said Ed Wong.

He said he has always maintained the attitude that if you treat your customers right, they'll keep coming back.

A recent snowfall in Vancouver brought in a lot of those customers as they looked to buy winter tires, something Ed Wong says is needed given the city's unique snow conditions.

"People say it's a different type of snow than anywhere else in Canada and they're absolutely right," said Ed Wong. "It's not the snow that gets you, it's actually the ice and slush on the ground."

He said for ice and slush, all-season tires "won't cut it" and winter tires, branded with a snowflake and mountain, are the "way to go" because they don't get snow packed up inside the tread and they provide better traction.

For anyone slipping into the garage to gear up, chances are likely it will be one of the Wongs who greets them. But if you take Jordan Wong's word for it, you're in good hands with anyone at Grandview Tire & Auto.

"It's a great group of guys," said Jordan Wong. "Like family."

To hear CBC's Jason D'Souza chat with the Ed and Jordan Wong at the shop, listen to the audio clip below:

If you have a suggestion for a store or business in the Lower Mainland that's been around for awhile and provides a specialized service, or has an unusual survival story, please email earlyed@cbc.ca