Mike Boyadjian, owner of Arcadia Tires, 15 E. Duarte Road, brought his wife and young son and one of his best and longest customers to the March 21 Networking Breakfast sponsored by Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuaries and hosted by Rod Salazar of Stubbies Promotions to share in Boyadjian receiving the first new monthly Arcadia Business Icon plaque and recognition from the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce and the Arcadia Historical Society in front of more than 40 attendees. (Photo gallery below.)
Carol Libby of Arcadia Historical Society (l) and Chamber CEO Scott Hettrick (r) present Arcadia Business Icon plaque to Mike Boyadjian of Arcadia Tires and his family.
Acradia Tires opened more than 25 years ago in 1987. (short video profile from 2007 here). The Chamber and Historical Society have teamed up to pay tribute to longstanding businesses in Arcadia for their ongoing contribution to the financial health of the City and to the historical cultural fabric of the community.
Fasching’s Car Wash will be the next recipient of the Arcadia Business Icon tribute at the April 18 Networking Breakfast.
The presentation came just before guest speaker Edwards Belden of the National Forest Foundation shared a PowerPoint program describing all the work that continues to be done in the aftermath of the Station Fire in 2009. He said businesses can make a big difference in helping preserve and maintain national forests by participating in the National Forest Foundation’s Forest Stewardship Fund. The outreach program provides hotels, lodges, recreational providers, restaurants, and other local businesses with ways to allow their customers to donate small voluntary contributions to support projects that enhance wildlife habitat, improve streams, restore native plants, and repair trails on the surrounding National Forest. For example, visitors can contribute $1 per night or purchase, $5 per guided trip, or round up a bill. Businesses then forward these donations to the NFF. Participating businesses are recognized in the NFF magazine distributed to 50,000, the NFF annual report, web site, and at local events. They may also provide NFF partnership info on their own business web site, guest communications, and more.
For more information about the National Forest Foundation and Forest Stewardship Fund, contact Belden at 626-538-7630 or by e-mail at friendsoftheangeles@gmail.com.
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As always at the monthly Networking Breakfasts at 7:30 a.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the Santa Anita Golf Course club house Sunset Room, each attendee stands and introduces themselves and provides a 30-second “elevator pitch.” About ten great raffle prizes are also presented from attendees each month, including Budget Blinds, Jan’s Towing, Century Rooter Service and Plumbing, and others.
Salazar also introduced Chamber President Pete Siberell of Santa Anita Park, who thanked attendees for their support in his year as President which comes to an end this month as new President Arlynn Robinson of Century 21 Earll takes over in April.
Breakfast tickets are $15 for members, $20 for non-members (free admission for those holding a Chamber All Access Pass), and can be ordered by phone at 626-447-2159 or online at www.ArcadiaCaChamber.org)
Although the Arcadia Tires name reflected owner Mike Boyadjian’s initial intent to focus exclusively on tires, he said he quickly realized he needed to service more than tires to survive. The shop added oil changes and within a few years was offering front-end alignments and all manner of auto repairs for almost any type of vehicle.
“People are jealous of me for having a business in Arcadia,” Boyadjian says, noting that other auto repair shops in the area moved to Arcadia from neighboring cities after observing his success. “They see how busy we are; this is a great city and it’s great for business.”
After replacing the former King Bear front end repair business at the location, Arcadia Tires quickly gained a reputation as being an immaculately clean auto repair shop inside the small white tile building just east of Santa Anita Avenue. The business has also engendered loyalty among its customers by providing quick, friendly, and professional service at reasonable prices, sometimes even no charge if mechanics discover the problem is minor. Great word-of-mouth spreads from generation-to-generation and customer loyalty extends across across the country.
“My customers are good people who follow me for years,” he says. “When their kids grow up, get married and move away, they keep coming back. One lives in North Carolina and calls me by phone.”
