90 Years. 90 Stories.
Built on People, Work, and Trust.
Family Story
Bob Purcell
Bob is the Director, Owner and Chairman of the Board. With Purcell for 62 years.
With my father as a role model, I learned the value of hard work at an early age. I worked part-time at the dealership during high school and also set pins at a local bowling alley.
After getting my business degree in 1958, I went to work for Goodyear as a trainee in St. Louis. The following year, I took a job with General Tire & Rubber Co., and we relocated to Nashville, TN.
In 1964, my dad invited us to join him in running Purcell Tire, which was growing. We moved back to Missouri and assumed management of the dealership’s recently acquired tire store and retread plant in DeSoto, Mo.
In 1969, a fire broke out at Purcell Tire’s DeSoto retread shop as the result of an industrial accident. The facility was the company’s only retread plant at the time and primary source of income. We found out we had no insurance, and it was completely destroyed.
Fast forward to today. What started out a small operation is now one of the largest tire dealers in the United States, with more than 70 store locations plus 8 retread plants!