Nevada Dealer Still Rolling After 90 Years

Reno Vulcanizing Works is celebrating 90 years in business on April 26.
from left to right are steve besso and his daughter stevie besso, mitchs son josh besso, and mitch besso, pictured at reno vulcanizing works' prater way location.
The Reno, Nev.-based shop has been owned by the same family for three generations – in fact, it’s now training the fourth generation – and has survived many hard times economic challenges, including The Great Depression and WWII, among others.

It all dates back to 1920, when Italian immigrant Frank Menante wanted to become involved in the then-young automotive industry. He negotiated a $100 agreement to purchase half the business of Reno Vulcanizing Works, which performed repairs on rubber for bicycle tires, footballs and boots. The company had only recently begun to sell automobile tires.

In 1922, Menante’s friend, Augustino Besso, purchased the other half of the business, kicking off the partnership that still operates the dealership today.

Initially, the 20-by-40-foot storefront catered more to bicycle tires than to cars, but by the late ’20s, business was booming and the friends expanded the shop. As luck would have it, the men deposited an unusually large check in late October 1929, one week before the stock market crashed. Because that check cleared, Reno Vulcanizing Works was able to pay its bills and stay open, even as many other businesses closed.

After Frank and Augustino retired, their sons Ralph and Leland moved the shop to a new, larger building farther from the then-downtown area in 1951. In 1986, the third generation – Fran Menante and Mitch and Steve Besso – took over.

“Each succeeding generation learned a great lesson from the one before it: treat people fairly and help them whenever you can,” Fran has said. “We still operate that way, and always will. If we didn’t, how could we sleep at night?”

Mitch Besso added, “You stay in business through three generations only by earning the trust of the people who walk through your door.”

Fran Menante retired in 2007 after 35 years with the company.

Today, the business operates three locations. The shop opened in 1951 – which now is actually at the center of town – is 13,800 square feet with 11 bays and 13 employees. In addition, Reno Vulcanizing Works operates its Plumb Lane location opened in 1969, with 9,400 square feet, 10 bays and 13 employees; and a Prater Way location opened in 1992, with 6,500 square feet, eight bays and 10 employees. The company also has two self-serve car washes.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has named Ryan Waldron as president of the company's Americas business unit, reporting to Chief Executive Officer and President Mark Stewart. He succeeds Steven R. McClellan, who retired on April 1.

"At Goodyear, our customers are at the center of everything we do, and in Ryan Waldron, we have a customer-centric, execution-focused business leader with a deep understanding of both the marketplace and all aspects of our business, as well as a proven track record of delivering results," Stewart said. "I am thrilled to announce him as president of Goodyear's Americas business and have enormous confidence that under his leadership, both the company and our customers will reach even greater levels of success."