Kumho Tire USA has partnered with a southern California tire dealer to open Tires 4U, the first North American outlet to follow the format of the tiremaker’s existing global retail stores.

Kumho company executives and local government officials were on hand to celebrate the store’s grand opening June 3 in Buena Park, Calif., some 30 miles from Kumho’s U.S. headquarters in Rancho Cucamonga.

The store, which is owned and operated by Benjamin Lee, will sell only Kumho brand passenger, competition, light truck and SUV tires. In addition, Tires 4U will offer mounting, balancing and alignment services, as well as custom wheels. The building features a showroom and three service bays, occupying a total footprint of roughly 4,000 square feet.

“Tires 4U looks forward to being a valuable member of the regional community and becoming a leader in quality customer service,” said J.B. Kim, president and CEO of Kumho Tire USA. “It offers the opportunity to reach our consumers by providing a dedicated retail environment that sells only Kumho branded products.”

While the store is independently owned, Kumho assisted with signage and the design concept, following the global retail format currently found in stores in South Korea, China and Vietnam. The new store, said Kumho, will help “increase brand awareness and promote premium tire sales.”

At this time, the tiremaker said it has no set plans to expand the Tires 4U concept into a chain of retail outlets or company-owned stores. Lee’s store, located in a very diverse community, will serve as a test to see how the format will fare in the U.S. The Buena Park address, a location chosen by Lee himself, required the remodeling of an existing structure at his expense, according to a Kumho spokesperson.

“This first retail center offers the best service that consumers can expect in a tire retail center,” said Lee, “I am satisfied with Kumho Tires and have confidence in the success of our retail center and we look forward to expanding beyond our single location.”