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Jeremy and Betty Howard continue tradition of excellence at Iowa Tire Sales
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FAIRFIELD – Jeremy and Betty Howard are just a few months away from celebrating the 20th anniversary of owning Iowa Tire Sales in Fairfield.
The couple have owned the business ever since March 1, 2005. Jeremy’s grandparents, Frederick "Buss" and Frances Turner started the business in the 1940s. Selling and servicing tires are the company’s focus, but Jeremy’s uncle Gary Reneker also does mechanical work such as brakes, and Jeremys’ cousin John Mineart does tire alignment.
Betty said the company travels 100 miles plus in all directions to serve its customers.
“We even went somewhere north of Kansas City for a company who couldn’t do a job there,” Betty said. “We have five service trucks that go out and about.”
The business responds to roadside service calls for Michelin and Goodyear’s national accounts. Betty said that about four years ago, the company was named the third in the nation for Michelin ag sales.
“It was quite an honor,” she said.
Betty mentioned that ag-related sales and services have become a big part of the business, and it also does tires for semis, construction equipment like backhoes and skid loaders, and of course, pickup trucks and cars.
“It’s huge for us to service the farmers,” Betty said. “That’s our big thing.”
The business is now entering the season of replacing customers’ summer tires with snow tires.
“They all come pouring in on the first snow,” Betty said. “We’re very fortunate because we’re in a line of work that is a necessity. Everybody needs tires, and we sell used tires as well.”
Betty mentioned that she feels that, because of the price increases throughout the economy the last few years, she gets more requests for used tires than she did before the pandemic.
“I’d said that, at least 50 percent of our calls are people asking us for used product,” she said.
Iowa Tire Sales is one of the oldest businesses in town still in operation, and at the time it moved out to the west side of town on Burlington Avenue, it was the only business in the neighborhood.
“The business started just off the square, in a small shop that Fred and Frances built,” Betty said. “When the building was built at our current location, nobody was out here. The town has grown around us.”
Betty said her husband has given his all to make Iowa Tire Sales a success because he wants to continue his grandparents’ legacy.
“Jeremy wanted to prove to his grandfather that he could keep it going, to carry on his dreams,” Betty said.
It doesn’t matter if it’s late at night or on a holiday, Jeremy is willing to drop what he’s doing to respond to a call.
“He started working here when he was 14, and this place means more to him than anything,” Betty said. “He’s done service calls on Thanksgiving and Christmas. He just puts his clothes on and out he goes. He doesn’t say no.”
The couple’s two children, Sydney Howard and Turner Howard, work at the company. Turner does a lot of work on the ag side, while Sydney works in the office. Betty said the goal is for their children to take over the business when they retire.
Iowa Tire Sales is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
