For this issue’s Service Provider Spotlight, Autosphere had the privilege of interviewing Deborah Ritcey (nee Murdoch) about Murdoch’s Tire and Automotive of Port Colborne, Ontario.

Murdoch’s Tire and Automotive (originally Murdoch’s Tire and Battery) was founded in 1959 by Ross Murdoch. Ross’s motto was “if it is rubber, we can fix it”. His two sons, Don and Ken, began working with their dad at a young age. In 1968, Ross purchased the business beside him, enabling him to offer service to transport trucks. In 1972, Ross and his sons added two more service bays. In 1977, Don Murdoch purchased the business and a year later partnered with his brother Ken. The two brothers have owned the business for 47 years. In 2019, Don’s youngest daughter, Deborah and her husband, Michael Ritcey purchased shares in the company to take over the company by 2027.

Building the business

Don and Ken were both introduced to working with their father from a young age. Don had the opportunity to play for the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings but declined with hopes to continue building the business with his family. “For over 50 years, Don and Ken have helped our community stay safe with affordable-priced tires,” says Deborah.

The business has continued to evolve over the years. The original building was owned by Groff Tire in 1959 when Ross Murdoch took over. “His first initiative was to lengthen the bays on the Oakwood side,” says Deborah. “Since then, they have purchased four plots of land around them to offer six functioning tire service bays. In 2004, the brothers wanted to expand the automotive offerings of the business, so they built a large automotive garage that houses four mechanical bays and an alignment rack.

Full range of services

In terms of the range of services Murdoch Tire and Automotive provides, Deborah states: “We offer a full tire service, including installation, repairs, and replacements, for passenger, light truck, farm vehicles, service vehicles, and more plus a 24-hour Heavy Service department that services commercial and farm vehicles. We have a full-service automotive/mechanical offering, as well, including alignments, safety, and more.”

Currently, the business has a staff of 15 in low season, 20 in high season; two full-time automotive technicians and two mechanical apprentices; as well as two licensed heavy service technicians; one administrator. On the equipment side, Murdoch Tire and Automotive has continued to make investments. “In 2024, we purchased a new alignment machine to include some newer model of vehicles plus an air conditioning servicing machine,” Deborah explains.

“Man in the Tires”

A key part of Murdoch Tire and Automotive’s history and lore, centres around the famous “Man in the Tires” logo, as Deborah tells us. “Port Colborne natives and visitors all know Murdoch’s Tire from the infamous ‘Man in the Tires’. In 2019, at our 60^th anniversary celebration, the City of Port Colborne notarized our “Man in the Tires” mascot as a Port Colborne historical landmark. This funny mascot [and low landmark] has a robust history in our small community. He has been written about in novels, kidnapped, hung off the bridge, held for ransom, and most famously, was run over by a police cruiser. He is even discussed in marketing programs in college, as one of the best marketing strategies.

So, how did the infamous “Man in the Tires” come to be? “Ross Murdoch was travelling in Florida with his family, and he saw a man stuck inside of the hood of a vehicle on the side of the road,” explains Deborah. “He pulled over to help the man, and he was shocked to see that the man was just a decoy for a sharp group of entrepreneurial children selling refreshments. Ross thought this was brilliant, so when he got home, he stuck a mannequin inside their scrap tire pile on Killaly St. He has since developed his own stack of tires and he often changes his outfits for each holiday that passes.

Business of the Year

In 2024, we were chosen to be the Port Colborne business of the year by the Port Colborne/Wainfleet Chamber of Commerce. We have also won the diamond award for best “Tire Sales” with the Tribune newspaper on many occasions,” Deborah states.

In order to build a strong, loyal customer base, Deborah says that “trust is the most important thing you can have with your auto provider. You must have faith in your mechanic/tire technician to do what they can with the budget you have. We have always lived by the motto that ‘you treat the customer like family’. I would never put a tire on a vehicle that I would not put on my own car. Tires, especially, are confusing for a lot of people. There are so many options, a paradox of choice, and a tire salesperson should be asking you the proper questions to decipher which tire is most suitable for your driving patterns. There are over 100,000 car accidents reported in Canada every year. Statistics show that 80% of them are car/tire related. Tires and brakes are the only things protecting you from the road. It’s important to make sure that you’re protected.”

Challenges and opportunities

In today’s environment, there are multiple challenges but also opportunities for automotive service providers. One issue Deborah sees are marketing gimmicks, designed to get people in the door.

“At Murdoch’s, we do not charge installation and balancing for your new tires. We offer free rotations and half-price repairs for three years. We stand by our customers and support them before, during and after the purchase of tires because for many families this is a big purchase. A lot of businesses, mostly big box ones” she says, “get customers in the door with their low-ball pricing, but they charge a multitude of fees once you’re in there. It’s important as a customer to ask what your “out the door” price is before purchasing and ask what their support package is like after the purchase. As a company, it is our prerogative to support the community that supports us. We are very active with our local charities and community partners and have been for over 60 years.”

Another area where Deborah sees a lot of confusion is around the introduction of the “all-weather” tire. This tire is definitely changing the scope of the market,” she states. “Many people are confused by this because they call summer tires, “all-season” tires, but they really should be referred to as “three-season/summer”. All-season/summer tires are intended for drivers in places like California that only see the same seasons all year round. In Canada, we rely on winter tires. Ontario is different than Quebec where it is mandated to have winter tires. All-weather tires target a certain demographic of people who do minimal winter driving (i.e., a retired person who drives in town). All-weather tires are designed for those customers who keep their tires on all year round. However, they are not intended to replace winter tires, especially if you do a lot of winter driving (i.e., driving more than 15-minute commute to work in the winter, especially on non-highway roads). It’s important to rely on tire professionals to establish which tires are best for your driving needs. Winter tires could save your life and the lives of those driving around you.

New generation

In looking to the future, we asked if there was anything Deborah would like to share. “We are now embarking on a third generation of “Murdoch” ownership,” she says. “Mike and I are honoured to bring the family legacy into the next generation. We are focusing our business to adapt to the modern digital world by incorporating online sales, digital marketing and adapting to the ever-changing technology of vehicles. We intend to uphold the 60 years of community service that this business has provided by continuing to give back to the community that gives to us.”