After more than four decades in the tire business, Tim Mitton is stepping away from the corner of First Avenue and French Street, marking the end of an era for Big O Tires in Ladysmith.
“I opened here, in Ladysmith, in 1981,” said Mitton. “Dad operated in Nanaimo in 1966, and I opened up here 15 years later. I was 21 years old back then.”
Mitton’s career has spanned 44 years across the two cities, beginning in Ladysmith and later including a 25-year run managing the Nanaimo Big O Tires location with his sister, Robin Paul. They sold the Nanaimo shop four years ago, but Mitton held onto the Ladysmith store until now.
“Yeah, so I guess the math says 44 years in the business,” he said with a laugh. Asked how many tires he’s handled over the years, he quipped, “It's in the millions... I haven't really ever sat down to calculate it. I think I might find that depressing if I heard the number.”
Mitton’s decision to retire has been years in the making, but environmental remediation of the property, which was once an old gas station, delayed the sale.
“That was what the hold up was,” Mitton said. “It probably took close to three years to get it complete.”
Mitton’s last day on the job was May 31. After that, he and his wife plan to enjoy a quieter life, including visits to their daughter in Australia.
“We're going to be doing a little boating, but no real big plans,” he said. “Just going to try and enjoy it for the first year or so. Then we'll see. I might be back asking these guys for a job or something.”
Mitton reflected with gratitude on the community that supported his business over the years.
“I'm really happy about the way my career went, that I was able to start in such a wonderful place as Ladysmith and formed great friendships with my customers. I'm going to miss them all very much,” Mitton said.
Taking over the business are Mack Wander and his brothers Harman and Rahul, first-generation Canadian entrepreneurs with a growing footprint in the Lower Mainland.
“This country gave us a lot,” said Wander, who arrived from India in 2012 as an international student. “I started from zero, I started from scratch, and now I have my own garages. One in Surrey, one in Burnaby, and this is my third one I’m buying here. This one I'm buying with my brother Harman.”
Rahul will serve as the full-time manager in Ladysmith, while Mack and Harman split their time between locations.
“We’re going to run it together,” Wander said. “I always wanted to come over to the Island, and I really love it. It reminds me of my home. It’s the same thing I get from a small village at home; everybody is so friendly, they’re so lovely, so welcoming.”
While his plans to move to the Island aren’t final, Mack said it’s very much on his radar. “The way things are going, I would love to move here.”
In addition to the tradition of great customer service, the new owners plan to continue Big O Tires’ tradition of community involvement.
“We want to be a part of the community," Wander said. “We love what Ladysmith does.”
As Big O Tires shifts into a new chapter, the values that built its reputation remain firmly in place. The change in ownership brings fresh energy and Island enthusiasm but the commitment to quality service and community connection stays the same.
“I want the same love as Tim received, and I’ll definitely make sure we earn it,” said Wander. “I’ll serve the community the same way Tim did.”
