From a small shop in Quebec to a thriving Tirecraft operation in Edmonton, Alex Girard’s success is built on honesty, hard work, and treating every customer like family.

Born and raised in the province of Quebec, Alex Girard is the proud owner of Girard Tirecraft in Edmonton, Alberta. His move across Canada, and his impressive business success share a common denominator: a solid foundation of excellent customer service and a love for the industry.

Girard’s journey started in 2001, when he and a friend decided to open up a shop in Quebec. Somehow, Girard managed to run this new business and work on cars while still studying Business Administration in college.

A few years later Girard decided that he needed a fresh start. Leaving everything behind, he moved to Edmonton, which proved to be an ambitious goal since he didn’t speak English at the time. Never one to give up or give in, he put his mind to mastering the language and he accepted a job at a furniture store.

“Although it paid the bills,” he says, “it’s not where I wanted to be. I wanted to get back to fixing cars.”

In 2010, he got a job at a local tire retailer. After a while, he became a partner, and eventually he bought out his partner, becoming the sole owner. Fast-forward to 2026, and Girard says that business is so good at his Girard Tirecraft store that he’s planning to expand with new locations.

Secret to success

With nine full time staff and eight bays, Girard Tirecraft seems to always be busy. “We could probably use another 10 bays to keep up with demand,” he adds. The store offers tire service, mechanical and detailing, catering to the needs of both retail and fleet customers.

Although it sounds like a cliché, Girard says that his secret to success if the fact that he treats all his customers like family. “I know my customer, I know their family, I even know their dogs,” he says. “So when they come in, we talk about them and their family, and that builds trust.”

Honesty is another important ingredient. “I always tell my guys that we’re not here to rip anybody off,” Girard says. “We’re here to do auto service. And how you talk to people makes a big difference. We always tell them what they need now and what can wait until sometime later.”

While honesty is a must at all times, he adds, it’s paramount when when things go wrong. “If we mess up,” he explains, “we own it.”

He recalls a time when his techs made a mistake, and Girard owned it. “I told the customer that we screwed up,” he says. “I told him that we misdiagnosed the car. To my surprise, he was very understanding and told me that because of my honesty, I now had a customer for life.”

Not only did this customer come back to have his vehicles serviced, but he also recommended the store to his family, friends and neighbours. “It’s all word-of-mouth,” Girard says, “and we’ve built-up a loyal customer base to the point where they come from as far away as Red Deer and Peace River to have their vehicles serviced at our shop.”

Marketing and advertising

While word-of-mouth advertising is priceless, Girard also invests in local radio ads. At a time when everyone seems to shun traditional advertising methods in favour of online marketing, Girard says that radio makes sense because of the demographic he’s after.

After hearing a jingle on the radio for a local plumbing company, and not being able to get it out of his head, Girard thought, ‘Why not do the same for Girard Tirecraft?’”

Edmonton residents have likely already heard the Girard Tirecraft jingle on local radio, and it seems to be working. “I know my customers,” Girard says. “I’m not targeting the 20-year-old who is always on TikTok. My customer base is older, and I think that although Facebook ads work, the return has been better with radio for me. It really works.”

Girard notes that radio ads aren’t necessarily designed to bring in business right away, but they do help him build his brand. “The more people hear this ad, the more likely they will think about us, look at our great Google reviews, and consider giving us a try the next time they need tires or mechanical service,” he says.

Girard has come a long way since his early days in Quebec. Motivated by his love of the industry, he has raised the bar on customer service and set the pace for continued success.