About O’Brien Tire & Auto Care
America's (and Route 66's) Oldest-Running Tire and Auto Repair Shop
The O’Brien Tire and Auto Care Story
Just like many businesses in America, O’Brien Tire and Auto Care started out as a dream. For nearly the last 120 years, we still keep a small, old fashioned service approach.
Then, with Route 66 being one of the first paved roads across much of America beginning in 1926, it was clear that travelers needed a trusted, reliable mechanic and service station to help provide repairs, big and small. For the Illinois stretch of Route 66, O’Brien Tire and Auto Care was those traveler's beacon.
From Humble Beginnings to Today
Established in 1906, the service station (or "garage" as repairs shops were called back then) was a part of Kirchner's Hardware. Jim O'Brien, the business' namesake, purchased the garage on St Patrick’s Day in 1932, as befitting a good Irishman. After the Korean War, Earl Buenger took his first job here as a tire technician.
Since 1970, O'Brien Tire & Auto has been owned by the Buenger family, whose ancestral roots to Granite City go back to the mid-1800's as a farming family on Chouteau Island and as well-known businessmen.
One of the Original Mom and Pop Shops
Long before big box stores and national chains were built, small mom and pop shops were king. There was always something different about the experience of going to a shop like O’Brien Tire and Auto Care. You didn’t feel like you were getting the same canned customer service or lesser quality work. Instead, you could trust that the person working on your car really cared about doing the job well… and doing it right! There was a sense of pride that was there, and it showed in the results. O’Brien Tire and Auto Care is proud to still be the “standard bearer” for what a mom and pop shop truly is. So, while many mom and pop businesses have been unable to compete with national chain stores, O’Brien Tire and Auto Care has endured the challenges by continuing to do what it does best: Treat customers like family and provide fast, friendly, reliable service.
A Legacy Still Honored Today
It’s this dedication to service and quality work that has served O’Brien Tire and Auto Care well over the years. We’ve established a reputation few auto shops have enjoyed, and it is why we’re the oldest, continuously-running tire and auto repair in America (as well as on Route 66.)
Today, we are larger than in 1906, with one building dedicated to tire service and another building dedicated to auto care. We offer many more services than we originally did back in 1906. We are well-equipped to handle any of your tire and auto repair needs. Whether you need an oil change, some routine maintenance, a major repair, or tire service, we have you covered from bumper to boot.
And, you don't need to take our word for it! O’Brien Tire and Auto Care's customers think so too. With over 700 reviews and a 4.8 Google review rating, we stand out from the crowd, as few auto repairs in the metro area compete with our outstanding reputation. We also hold another distinction as the only “Triple Crown” auto facility in Metro-East St. Louis: Approved auto repair by NAPA, Technet/Advance Professionals, and AutoZone Pro, providing our customers with the best nationwide warranty on repairs available in the metro area.
We fix cars! We sell tires! We treat you like family!