In 1974,
Corky Coker was handed the reigns of the fledgling antique tire division of his father's Chattanooga-based B.F.Goodrich dealership. He sold vintage tires, which represented less than five percent of the company's total business, out of a 500 square foot space at the back of the retail center. Today, Coker Tire's antique tire division accounts for 95 percent of the business and is the world's largest and most prominent supplier of antique and classic tires for automobiles, trucks and motorcycles. Coker ships tires to every state in the U.S. and more than 40 countries. The company now occupies several buildings in the historic Southside district of downtown Chattanooga and there’s a Coker Tire operation located in Fresno, California as well.
Corky has faced and conquered many challenges in the past three decades, as President of the company, but each obstacle has make Coker Tire stronger and better positioned for the future. This year marks Coker Tire's 51st Anniversary, and things are certainly looking up, even with our country’s ailing economy. What follows is a brief account of Coker Tire's quest to the top of the industry ladder, in terms of market leadership and success.
The Success of Coker TireCorky's father, Harold, started the Coker Tire Company in 1958. Harold Coker had the vision of making rare and obsolete tires commercially available to antique car collectors. This vision came from first hand knowledge of the old car hobby, and his own struggle to find the correct tires for vintage cars. Having collected and restored cars for years, Harold recognized the need that his fellow hobbyists had so often demanded. The vision itself presented an obvious challenge: Would the car collecting and auto restoration hobby grow enough in popularity to support this niche antique tire business now and in the future?
It may have been a gamble, but gut instinct took over and Harold set out to make an attempt at the vintage tire trade, which was in its infancy. When Corky took over the vintage tire division, his job was to determine how to produce tires that were no longer being manufactured, and which sizes and styles would be most popular. He also decided how to market, sell and distribute the tires, so he had plenty to keep him busy.
Source of supply would be the first issue to overcome. Early on, he also faced the tasks of increasing his offerings of tires and brands, developing a customer base, and designing a marketing program that would evolve most efficiently with this type of business. The early years taught Corky a valuable lesson about adversity and the struggles of an up-and-coming business. Corky says that he never looks at adversity as an obstacle—it is merely a hurdle that can and will be overcome.
As time passed and Coker Tire became increasingly more successful, the growing pains were persistent and proved to be one of the company’s biggest challenges. Managing the rapid growth of the company became Corky's primary objective during this time, as tire sales increased at a stunning rate. This once small, family business transformed with a growing number of employees and increased inventory, but limited office and storage space was the next hurdle to clear. Corky also had to deal with export demands, advertising and public relations needs, and computerization as the company grew into the industry leader it is today.
Although he didn't know it in 1974, much of what Corky Coker would do over the course of the next 20 years or so would actually define the vintage tire industry.
To overcome the formidable challenge of producing tires, Corky determined early on that he was his own best source of vintage treads, by purchasing discontinued molds from old factories. He literally searched the world, including South America, the Philippines and Australia to acquire molds from various factories. He was able to reproduce molds from drawings when the originals were long since lost. Not having the capital necessary to open a manufacturing facility on his own, he negotiated contract production in Pennsylvania and Ohio for domestic supply. Contract manufacturers in Taiwan, Chile, Vietnam and India would supply export customers.
He brokered deals with major tire producers that gave Coker Tire the worldwide licensing agreements and exclusive distributorships to big-name vintage brands. These brands included B.F. Goodrich, Firestone, Michelin and U.S. Royal thus increasing the variety of products available from Coker Tire. To expand his customer base in an industry with no recognized method of distribution, Corky initially went to his customers. He and an employee would load a small van with tires and they would set up at car shows across the country, sleeping in the van to save money. Larger trucks took the place of the van and show travel became the mainstay of Coker's commitment to its customers. Today, Coker Tire attends over 40 shows a year utilizing a fleet of tractor-trailers.
Traveling to the various car shows was great for business, but Corky wanted to take it one step further. As the era of mail order came into full bloom, aggressive advertising efforts put the company's catalog in the hands of thousands of new potential customers.
Coker Tire's marketing efforts then and now rely heavily on catalog phone-in sales and order fulfillment. One of the key components to Coker's success lies in the mail order aspect of the business, and the customer service that goes along with it. Corky knows the importance of customer service and responded to its challenge by hiring good, knowledgeable people, and by establishing the "No Sweat" return policy. It simply states that the customer is always right. Period.
Corky is meeting the challenge of growing pains by hiring people on an as needed basis. Coker Tire's antique tire division started with one employee in 1974 and today has grown to more than 80. Full-time managers now oversee the Exports, Advertising/Marketing, Customer Service, Sales, Distribution and Accounting Departments, but Corky is still very involved with his company. In addition to tires, Corky saw a need for the company to create another division to sell tire-related accessories and collectible automobilia. This division markets a variety of diverse products from tire and whitewall cleaners to collectible die-cast trucks. Another division, Coker Cycle Company is controlled by Corky’s daughter Casey, and markets vintage-style Monster Cruiser bicycles and unicycles.
Manning the more than 25 inbound phone lines, a great number of full-time Customer Service Representatives handle questions and orders from Coker’s enormous product line. The company's Web site, www.coker.com, is now a full e-commerce site with complete online ordering capability. Corky acquired additional warehouse space for increasing stock and renovated the main building for additional office space. The order and shipping system is completely computerized and all employees are networked together, so workflow is smooth and trouble-free.
So, how did Corky Coker do it? He will tell you that Coker Tire has succeeded for a variety of reasons. His drawing strength from his faith and family, plus his dedication to a strong American work ethic certainly got him through the tough times. He has surrounded himself with like-minded, enthusiastic people who he leads by example. He believes in the principles and values of hard work that this country was founded on and applies them in every aspect of his life and management style.
As evidence to his success, Corky was named the Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Tennessee in 1995. In addition to that honor, the Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) named Coker Tire 1997 Manufacturer of the Year. ARMO is the auto restoration arm of the Specialty Equipment Market Organization (SEMA), the world's largest automotive aftermarket trade organization. Corky was inducted into the ARMO Hall of Fame in 1998 for his outstanding contributions to the collector car hobby.
After serving numerous years on the SEMA Board of Directors, Corky assumed the chairmanship of SEMA in 2003, making him the first chairman to come from the Restoration/Street Rod segment of the automotive aftermarket. In 2005, Corky stepped down from the Chairman position, but he was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 2008, which is a testament to his hard work and perseverance over the years. After acquiring several different tire companies, Coker Tire is growing more every day, and Corky doesn’t plan to slow down any time soon. Take a look at everything Coker Tire Company has to offer, and you’ll see why it’s a staple in the old car hobby, and a passion for Corky Coker and his entire crew.