New Look, New Digs

You’ve just finished reading this issue, and hopefully you’re thinking to yourself,

"Wow, is this Tire Review?"

Well, yes it is. Only it’s cleaner, brighter and clearer, with the same great content you’ve come to expect wrapped in an easier-to-read and much easier to navigate package.

So, what do you think?

Last year we promised vast improvements to your magazine, and I think we’ve lived up to that vow. New features and columns were added. Feature stories are more focused and have more impact. News coverage is far more timely and tuned to your needs. Popular items like our annual Sourcebook have been enhanced. New annual features like our Business Toolbox have been added.

And now we’ve freshened our look, with a crisper, more inviting appearance and organization.

This effort was not undertaken lightly. Over the last nine months we considered literally dozens of different design options, and gathered valuable opinions and ideas from many people. We considered and reconsidered a cornucopia of scenarios, and rechecked every detail – all with our eyes firmly planted on what was best for our readers.

We hope you like the new look.

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Redesigning a magazine is like "This Old House," where you carefully refurbish and modernize a great basic structure to make it more eye pleasing, functional and effective. Just as in your business, if you don’t have a good product to begin with, all the bells and whistles mean nothing.

Even the best looking magazine – or best appointed tire store – will hit the wall if it isn’t backed up with substance.

We tend to be pretty humble around here, but I am proud to say that over the past 18 months, Tire Review has consistently received very high praise from readers – tire dealers, association folks and advertisers alike – across the country. We certainly appreciate the kind words and support, and will continue to work hard to meet your expectations.

This redesign does not mark an endpoint to the evolution of Tire Review. There will be more, but you can be assured every one of them will be oriented to your business needs.

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The vision over the past 100 years was to build a magazine that is involved in every aspect of your business. As our tag line on the front cover states, we are "Dedicated To Building Your Business" and for the years to come, we’ll be looking to find new methods and techniques that can increase your profitability.

This is your magazine and your input and comments shape its direction and content. Your questions and concerns give your fellow readers a cause to pause and consider. Help us help you.

You can send a good old-fashioned letter, give us a call, or send an e-mail to Editor Jim Smith at [email protected]. Any way you do it, we’re always happy to hear from you!

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I would be very remiss (and likely injured) if I didn’t thank a few people who contributed a lot to our new look.

Staff graphic designer Cindy Strubbe not only did an unbelievable job coming up with the framework and finished product, but she also had to interpret our sometimes confusing and multiple explanations of our "vision." No one on the project had more work than she, and no one had a harder row to hoe. It’s amazing she didn’t pull her hair out.

Editor Jim Smith directed our redesign effort, and Managing Editor Craig Gifford offered his input and devil’s advocacy. And Ad Services Manager Becky Bilinovich made sure our new house was in order.

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Not only do we have a new look, but Tire Review now has a new home. By the time you read this, we’ll have moved across town to our new intergalactic headquarters.

Our new contact info is:

Tire Review
3550 Embassy Parkway
Akron, OH 44333
Phone: 330-670-1234
FAX: 330-670-0874

All of our staff e-mail addresses and telephone extensions remain the same, and can be found in our staff box on the Contents page up front.

It’s been a pretty busy month around here, as you can tell. Now, if I could just find my office®ƒ