Roy’s Discount Tire Center was part of the landscape on Rome Street in Carrollton for more than 39 years. The building was a small structure, wedged in between the NAPA Auto Parts store and the old Southern Bell telephone office. It was a popular destination for people wanting quality tires and dependable service.

“My father, Roy Riggs, started the business there in January 1974,” said Chris Riggs, his son, who now operates the business with his sister, Reggie Ann Jackson. “He had worked for Goodyear in Florida and Smyrna. He was working at Luke Floyd Tire Company in Rome when he decided to move back to Carrollton and open up the shop.”

The younger Riggs has been working in the business on Saturdays since 1979 and full time since 1990. His sister joined the business soon after it opened in 1974. The elder Riggs, who will be 82 years old in May, retired about 10 years ago.

Riggs said some customers are still going to the Rome Street building, only to be directed by a window sign to the new Roy’s Tire location at 234 Maple St., the former home of Carrollton Tire, a Kelly Springfield dealer.

“We moved to our new location on Feb. 5, and have run ads in the newspapers and on radio, but some people still don’t know we’ve moved,” Riggs said. “We’ve been trying for about a month to get our sign up, and we plan to do equipment upgrades as we go along.”

The new site has housed automobile businesses for many years. A sign hangs on the waiting room wall, showing the building in its days as a Chrysler-Plymouth showroom. Since the early 1980s, the location had been the Kelly Springfield shop, operated by Gary Hannon, who retired from the business last fall.

While the new building, with five bays and a large waiting room, dwarfs the old Rome Street location, Riggs plans to continue the same service as provided on Rome Street. The company has six employees, including Riggs and his sister.

“We’re going to do what we’ve always done,” he said. “We have tires for automobiles and light trucks, and we do brakes, oil changes, struts, CV joints, alignments and front end rebuilds. We’re hoping to get some lifts to provide options for doing more things, possibly some diagnostic work.”

The company’s ads declare, “What sets us apart is our fast and friendly service. We value your time and are always prepared to take care of your vehicle. Our employees are experienced and dedicated to quality. We provide hassle-free help for all of your concerns. Whether you need to replace your tires or get a computerized-wheel alignment, we have quality products and the right equipment to meet your demands.”

Riggs said the company doesn’t have any exclusive tire brand dealership, but can “pretty much accommodate what people want.”

He said the business doesn’t have mobile service, but added, “We’ll help people around town who need jump starts and have flat tires.”

Both Roy’s Discount Tire Center and Lambert Tire Company, 134 Bankhead Highway, Carrollton, are part of E&R Tires Corp. Lambert Tire is operated by the father-and-son team of Jack and Mack Edwards. In addition to automobile trucks, Lambert also offers tractor tires, commercial truck tires and tires for vans and recreational vehicles.

Store hours at both businesses are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Roy’s Discount Tire Center can be reached by phone at 770-834-6674. The Internet webpage is www.roysdiscounttirecenter.com.