After 20 years of great association with the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and it's people, I made one of the most challenging decisions of my employment career. I decided to leave Goodyear and become a Goodyear Dealer...in other words...my own boss!!On August 1, 1986, Family Tire & Auto Service Centers, Inc. opened for business in Downtown Schenectady. At first, it seemed like I had made a really good decision..Downtown was alive..Carl Company, 26,000+ working at General Electric, and, every store front in Downtown was occupied with a vibrant business. It seemed like overnight..everything changed.. Downtown Schenectady began to rapidly deteriorate with the massive job losses in the immediate area. There were many early years that I wondered if Family Tire would survive.But, with dedicated employees and loyal - long term customers, Family Tire has survived, now into it's 27th year of being a locally owned, Downtown Schenectady business.Our belief is that we do not have a right to our customer's business, that we have to earn, not only their business..but their trust as well !!Update: Well, after nearly 48 years of association with Goodyear, I decided to retire and sell my business !! Joyce, Muffy, Callie and I will be relocating back to our home state of Maryland. I'm pleased that the folks at Warren Tire have purchased my store property and will be retaining all my people from the store and that my customers will still be accustomed to receiving great service. !!