Despite jumping into the tyre business with no idea of where it would take them, Shane and Harena Fraser can now offer 15 years of experience to customers in Warkworth.
The pair own and operate Tyrepower Whangarei, with six staff, and have just opened new premises on Mill Lane.
Shane started from humble beginnings, growing up just north of Whangarei where he worked on his uncle’s farm.
“When I was 18, my uncle saw the Tyre Man in Whangarei up for sale and asked if I would be keen to run it with him,” Shane says. “A fortnight later that was my job.”
In 2003, the shop became part of the Tyrepower franchise and later Harena joined the team.
Since then, they have won the Tyrepower Dealer of the Year award in 2008 and 2015, while managing a family life with seven children.
“It was a pretty special feeling the first time we won, especially considering we had lost three months of business that year due to a fire,” Shane says.
The couple say quality of service and product range are what sets them apart from other tyre stores.
“Because we are an independent dealer we can get almost any tyre in stock and will recommend the best product for you. We aren’t tied down to specific brands.
“We also make sure that if you come in for, say, a single puncture, we will still check all four tyres, the spare and your battery to make sure the vehicle will be safe on the road.”
The business also runs an initiative where they will repair tyre punctures for a donation.
Funds raised go to the Ronald McDonald House charity in Whangarei and Warkworth Wellsford Hospice. The initiative has raised more than $30,000 in the last three years.
“The puncture service has been popular because of the condition of rural roads,” Shane says.
