Iconic Canadian automotive franchise Mr. Lube + Tires celebrates its golden anniversary
By Suzanne Bowness
Akber Dewji’s story is not only one of franchising success, but one of Canadian immigration success as well. Coming to Canada from Tanzania 40 years ago, he escaped the seismic upheaval in east Africa and arrived with just $60 in his pocket. At first, he struggled to land a job, but found his opportunity with Mr. Lube + Tires, starting out as a technician. Since then he’s worked his way up through many roles to become one of the brand’s largest franchise owners.
As a brand that started small and has grown to be a household name in Canada, Mr. Lube + Tires shares some parallels with one of its most successful franchisees as it looks back this year on 50 years. Started by father and son duo Arnold and Clifford Giese in Edmonton, Alberta in 1976, the brand began franchising in 1981 and has grown to more than 190 locations across Canada.
Expanding at all levels
While Dewji’s first store still hums along at Avenue Road and Eglinton in Toronto, his expansion has been further afield, including Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Scarborough, and even as far as Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Alberta.
As he grew from supervisor to manager to area manager, Dewji always had his eyes on ownership: “The moment I started to work with Mr. Lube + Tires, I realized that this is what I wanted to do for living. One day, I would like to become a franchisee.” He conveyed his interest to the franchisor, who helped him obtain his first store in 1996. By Dewji’s side is his wife Rozina, a co-owner of his operations who also handles the administrative aspects.
While his long experience with the company meant an easier ascent, Dewji says that the transition to owner is significant. “You are wearing different shoes as a franchisee. So those obligations become more now that you are not just a manager, but being given responsibility of protecting the brand,” he says. His approach from the start has been to build a good team. “I invest in my staff and build a team that can support me. That’s how I managed to grow so big,” he says.
When the Gieses first started Mr. Lube + Tires, they had a simple plan to offer fast stay-in-your-car oil changes with no hassle and no appointment needed. Right away their concept was a success. So, the duo went on to connect with other entrepreneurs and offer them opportunities to open their own stores through franchising.
Since then, the brand’s growth has been both geographic and in terms of services. Perhaps the most noticeable is the addition of “+ Tires” to the original Mr. Lube brand proposition, and today more than 50 per cent of revenue comes from services other than oil changes, not just tires but also light mechanical repairs. According to CEO Pamela Lee, a major goal is to continue building those service offerings.
“Our value proposition is trust and convenience, and that can come across in many ways when it comes to automotive maintenance and automotive care. So, we’re looking at complementary services where we can make sure our customers continue to get that trusted and convenient vehicle maintenance they desire complete, that really is our North Star,” says Lee.
Collaborative culture
Yet another element that Lee says makes her brand unique is the fact that the 190 stores are operated by only 40 franchisees, and that the average employee stays for 12 years (one is celebrating 40 years). When franchise locations open up, 95 per cent are snatched up by existing franchisees, half of which are second generation. “We’re a very close-knit culture,” Lee says.
This demand affords the franchise system the luxury of a rigorous selection process. They require franchisees to live in their communities and spend a lot of time on the training process. Much of that is done in-store, so an experienced owner like Dewji can be regularly called on by the franchise, something that keeps him connected with startup. He says it’s a challenge for a new franchise to handle how busy the business can get, especially during times like tire season when 15 or 20 cars may be lined up expecting service.
“Things can get overwhelming, since we are not just an oil change shop anymore,” he says, adding that he passes along the encouragement he received from the franchisor. “I [tell] them, ‘everything is going to be fine.’ That’s the kind of environment that the franchisor has created, which we had adopted.”
In addition to being customer-focused, Lee says that a common trait in successful franchisees is an openness to communication and feedback, plus respect for the brand. This is even more crucial given the new challenges facing both the franchise and the industry, including expansion from American competitors and shifting vehicle technology.
Keys to success
Just as she is committed to their growth, Lee notes that the brand is highly dependent on motivated owners, who quickly become adept at productivity. “Franchisees have it down to a science. When we think about this customer service experience, we want to make sure our customers are in and out within a certain amount of time, like 20 minutes,” she says. From the store perspective, that means having enough labour in place and the right equipment. “Seconds matter in this service delivery, but at the same time we don’t compromise trust, or quality,” she adds.
For multi-unit franchisees, Lee says that ownership depends on their goals. Some are looking for one store, some plan for many from the start, and others wish to grow more slowly. “We will always make sure that growth is commensurate with their capacity. We don’t want franchisees to feel overwhelmed,” she says. At the same time, as CEO, Lee aims to grow the business overall, something that’s become a hallmark of her own 20-year tenure with the brand. From a previous average of opening five stores annually, she’s increased growth to a rate of 18 to 20 stores annually. In the past three years, the brand has grown over 27 per cent in the number of locations.
Lee, who calls being CEO “the best job I’ve ever had,” is focused on continued growth. So is Dewji, who plans to open a handful of new locations this year and has welcomed his two daughters into the operation. His enthusiasm for this iconic brand has been noted by many over the years, including the brand’s first CEO, who, Dewji shares, once said that if “Mr. Lube were a cereal, Akber would eat it for breakfast.”
For both Dewji on the ground and Lee overseeing the brand’s future, reaching 50 years is cause for celebration. The whole team will come together for a franchise convention in Barcelona, Spain in 2026.
Learn more about franchising with Mr. Lube + Tires
