Merchant's Tire and Auto Center becomes NTB

One household brand name in tires has been replaced with another in downtown Bethesda. Merchant's Tire and Auto Center at 7851 Old Georgetown Road has just been rebranded as NTB. This is not a change limited to Bethesda, however. TBC, which owns both Merchant's and NTB, has been rapidly dropping the Merchant's brand this year across the country.

NTB, or National Tire and Battery, was formerly part of Sears until the struggling retail giant sold the division off to TBC in 2003. NTB was formed by Sears in 1997, to consolidate the Tire America and National Tire Warehouse (more commonly known at NTW) brands it acquired in its 1988 purchase of Western Auto Supply.

Merchant's logo vanished
from this still-lit roadside sign

It's good to know another vestige of Sears will remain with us beyond the closure of the Bethesda Sears store next spring. Tires are becoming a hot commodity in Montgomery County, likely due to the Third-World road conditions resulting from Montgomery County Council neglect to maintain our streets - and the many nails found on Bethesda streets from uncontrolled construction activity spilling beyond construction site borders.

The market has clearly taken note of the surging demand for new tires in the County, and is rising to the occasion. Two new tire stores by Goodyear are opening on Elm Street and at Rockville Town Square, highly unusual tenants for inline urban retail spaces.

Passersby and drivers alike were stunned and confused yesterday to see the Merchant's signage missing from the building, and from the lit roadside sign, and replaced by NTB signage over the garage doors. Patriotic Sears aficionados, by contrast, were seen walking with an extra spring in their step around the property. Hopefully the NTB logo will also be added to the empty roadside sign in the coming hours.