New William St. Plaza Tire Service will mark 50 years in business | Business

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - The second-generation owners of Plaza Tire Service in Cape Girardeau have announced a major commercial property development at the site of the original store.

The company and the Rhodes family have owned or occupied the entire block of commercial property located within the intersection of William Street and Kingshighway for 50 years until they sold it to CVS Pharmacy.

To accommodate the pharmacy, most of the tire service's former corporate offices and warehouse has started to be demolished. Later, they say the pharmacy will take over the property and a new flagship Plaza Tire Service store will open at the intersection of South Kingshighway and Good Hope Street, directly across from Hobby Lobby.

They say the newest Plaza Tire Service store will feature expanded showroom and state-of-the-art equipped service areas including an area for large truck work. It will include 11 bays and will continue operating during the same hours as the current location.

Vernon “Pee Wee” Rhodes originally established Plaza Tire Service as Plaza Car Wash in 1963, but the company gradually expanded to provide tire services, also. The first tire services were performed with a tire changer and jack on the sidewalk outside the car wash. Local regulations quickly ended this practice, and the decision to end car wash services and focus strictly on tire sales was made. The car wash was removed over a Labor Day weekend without missing a single day of business. 

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