Big O Tires

Big O Tires, a nationwide chain with over 460 locations, is a go-to destination for tires and automotive services. For Greg Kimberlin, the franchise owner of Big O Tires in La Grange, KY, their Watchfire digital sign is crucial to the store’s sales and marketing strategy. “We run promotions all the time, and people often come in asking about what they saw on the sign,” Kimberlin said. “During a recent cold snap, we advertised oil changes, and we saw immediate results.”

The store’s original Watchfire sign, a 19mm display, served the business well for years. During the pandemic, the display became an essential communication tool for the community. Big O Tires used it to notify customers when the store was closed and then when it reopened after being designated an essential service. The sign allowed the team to share updates quickly and efficiently, ensuring they could serve essential workers in need of their services.

When it came time to upgrade the sign, Kimberlin was determined to maintain its size. However, new ordinances in La Grange prohibited the installation of a sign the same size or larger than the original, complicating the replacement.

He turned to Lester Lemaster at Commonwealth Sign Co., a longtime Watchfire partner, to find a solution. “Together, they built a new 10mm display and retrofitted it into the existing frame, so we never had to dismantle the structure and avoided any zoning issues,” Kimberlin explained. “They went above and beyond to save us a lot of hassle. The display looks fantastic.”

“Watchfire truly demonstrated their commitment to customer service and showcased impressive creativity to ensure Big O could maintain the same digital presence,” said Lemaster. “It was an exciting project, and one I’m incredibly proud of.”

Kimberlin also appreciates the ease of managing the sign with Watchfire’s Ignite software. “We’re always ahead with next month’s messages loaded into the software,” he said. “It’s easy to use, and we can see exactly what the messages will look like before they go live.”

The Watchfire display continues to serve as a valuable community resource, sharing local event information, showing support for local school sports, and providing weather tips and alerts.

After researching other options, Kimberlin returned to Watchfire for a reason. “They’ve been in the business a long time and stand by their products. The Watchfire and Commonwealth Sign Co. partnership made it a great experience. You really get what you pay for.”