Meineke Car Care Centers


Meineke Car Care Centers, Inc. is a franchise-based international automotive repair chain with more than 900 locations. The chain is ranked #52 in the Franchise 500 and #54 in America’s Top Global. Previously known as Meineke Discount Mufflers, the company changed its name to Meineke Car Care Centers in 2003 when it expanded to offer full-service auto repairs.

History

Meineke was founded in 1971 in Houston, Texas, by Sam Meineke. He started to franchise the name in 1972, with Harold Nedell. In 1983, GKN, a multinational British company, bought out Meineke Discount Mufflers. In 1986, the company headquarters moved to Charlotte, North Carolina.
In 2003, the same year Meineke Discount Muffler Shops, Inc. became Meineke Car Care Centers, Inc., Meineke became a privately held company, no longer publicly traded.

Acquisitions

In 2006, Meineke Car Care Centers’ parent company, Meineke Holding Company, became Driven Brands, Inc. and acquired the quick oil change company, Econo Lube 'N Tune Inc. In 2008, it acquired Maaco, Auto Qual, and Drive N Style.
In April 2013, Meineke Car Care Centers, Inc. announced the acquisition of the Seattle-Tacoma auto repair chain, Walt’s Auto Care Centers, or “Walt’s”. In June 2014, Meineke acquired eight America’s Service Station locations in the Atlanta area.

Advertising

Former boxing champion George Foreman was a spokesperson for the Meineke brand in the United States from 1993 to 2010. Former NHL player Wendel Clark is the Meineke spokesperson in Canada, as well as a current Meineke franchisee.
Meineke sponsored Joe Nemechek in the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season for Larry Hedrick. The next year the sponsorship went over to Steve Grissom and the Diamond Ridge Motorsports team for 1995.
Meineke has sponsored college football bowl games in two locations. From 2005 to 2010, the Meineke Car Care Bowl was played in Charlotte, North Carolina, while the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas was played in Houston from 2011 to 2012., those two bowls are now known as the Duke's Mayo Bowl and the Texas Bowl, respectively.