Van Ausdle Tire officially open for business

DAYTON-A return home was the perfect start for Dayton's newest tire and service business, Van Ausdle Tire. Owned and operated by Dru and Brooke Van Ausdle, formerly of Pomeroy and Dayton, respectively, the business has had a booming opening month after their July 6 opening.

Located at 36713 Highway 12 in Dayton, in the former J-Har Logging building, Van Ausdle Tire currently offers tire service and sales for cars and light trucks, commercial and ag tire services, custom wheels, and "all the basics," according to Brooke. The Van Ausdles plan to add a boom truck by next summer, allowing them to service tractors and other farm equipment. Brake and alignment work is in the business' near future.

The Van Ausdles met just after high school in 2006 and attended school at Washington State University. While attending college, Dru began working for Les Schwab Tires in Pullman.

"After we graduated, we decided to stay with them, and he (Dru) started their management program- that happened after we got married in 2012," Brooke shared. "That moved our family, first, to Centralia, and then down into the San Francisco area, San Carlos. It was a big move!"

The family, joined by daughter Ava, then had the opportunity to purchase a member-dealer in Davenport.

"We jumped ship, essentially, and left the corporate side of things," Brooke explained. "We moved to Davenport to get ready to purchase that store."

Brooke and Dru spent roughly five years in Davenport, managing the branch and preparing to purchase the business. However, plans changed, and the family moved back to the Dayton area after Brooke's father, Terry Hoon, reached out to his former employer Jerry Harshman, owner of the building.

"It just went from there," Brooke said. "We have been back and forth between Dayton and Davenport since March, trying to remodel the business and keep our daughter in school."

Van Ausdle Tire is open Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Hours may be adjusted as Dru and Brooke get settled into their new routine as business owners and Dayton residents.

"We are feeling very grateful and very happy to be here," Brooke said. "Both of our families are close. It's been a really good transition for us!"

Van Ausdle Tire is on Facebook. Be sure to give them a follow to stay up-to-date with business changes, hours of operation updates, and business expansion.