Brown County Tire to stay put

Persistent Wal-Mart rumors tire owner

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Doug Saville is tired.

Ever since June, when he rejected two offers made for the property where his business stands, he's had a regular regime of phone calls and visits from people who think that he's sold Brown County Tire to the Wal-Mart Corporation.

"The myth is false," Saville said Tuesday afternoon. "It's not happening."

The rumors of the sale have circulated ever since a Wal-Mart representative announced in June that the Bentonville, Ark., discount retail giant was interested in building one of its Super Wal-Mart stores in New Ulm.

New Ulm Chamber of Commerce President Chris Hiller said negotiations between the city and Wal-Mart broke down earlier this summer. Since then, inquiries about Wal-Mart to the chamber office have subsided even though Hiller said he hears all kinds of rumors about possible sites for a New Ulm store.

Saville said he is sick of hearing the buzz around town. He said he's seen a steady stream of customers, callers and people on the street who have asked him about his dealings with Wal-Mart. He said the 'myths' have also hurt his business.

"Does it get old? Yeah, after a while it does," he said. "It's human nature. The curiosity bone runs in all of us."

Saville said he is neutral on the question of whether or not Wal-Mart should come to town. He isn't interested in entering the political arena, either.

"This community is very special to me. I have relatives that come in from out of town that make comments about how clean and neat (New Ulm) is," he said.

If and when Wal-Mart does come to New Ulm, he said that store would be a competitor he'd compete against. Brown County Tire will outservice Wal-Mart regardless of its pricing, Saville said.

"I'm not afraid of competition. I really have a very neutral position on it and I don't consume myself with it," he said. "I'm not going to worry about whether they're coming to town. I'm going to worry about taking care of business because that's why we're here today."

Brown County Tire was first approached by a Wal-Mart representative one week before Regional Director B. John Bisio made the company's intentions public in a series of meetings with local officials and area media. During the talks with Brown County Tire, a Wal-Mart representative made two offers, which Saville said he rejected after talking with legal counsel and an accountant and determined that Wal-Mart's offer "was not a good offer for Brown County Tire."

One month later, Saville was in bed and recovering from injuries he received in a serious car accident. He went into work to speak to his employees about his dealings with Wal-Mart and told them he has no intention of selling Brown County Tire. Saville, who employs his wife and two daughters along with nine others, said he loves doing business in New Ulm and is here to stay.

"This is a family-run business," he said. "We know anyone who walks in the door has a choice and we appreciate everybody who chooses to do business with Brown County Tire. We are a family-owned business and we know how much that means to people," Saville said. "Take me out of the (Wal-Mart) equation. Everyone that wants to fight about Wal-Mart, let 'em go. I'm not in the equation."