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As of Dec. 31, Kitsap County’s five Mansker Tire Centers were taken over by Les Schwab Tire Centers of Washington. Formerly owned by Kitsap County resident Gary Mansker, the stores were sold to Les Schwab so that Mansker could retire after five decades in the business.
Mansker, 71, and his wife Inga, moved to Bremerton in 1984. The couple purchased two tire stores, in Bremerton and Poulsbo. Two years later, Mansker expanded into Port Orchard with the purchase of the old Gray Chevrolet building. Over the next seven years Mansker added two additional locations in East Bremerton and Belfair.
Customers should notice no difference as the Mansker stores have been Les Schwab dealer stores for some time, operating as an independent business, but using both the Mansker and Les Schwab names. It is expected that the Les Schwab Company, which owns more than more than 400 stores across the western United States, will keep most of Mansker Tires’ 70 employees.
Mansker and his wife currently reside in Seabeck and they plan to split their time there with winter visits to Arizona and summer trips to the couple’s Idaho ranch. |
