Seth Merritt and the company he works for both wanted to be in Woodland Park. The store opened May 27 at 902 W. Midland Avenue.

“I’m excited to be here in Woodland Park. This is a community that I actually wanted to come to,” Merritt said. “My wife and my kids are all really excited to be here as well.”

Merritt and his family felt like Woodland Park was a great fit after spending the past three years in Deer Park, Wash., just north of Spokane.

“Everything we loved about living in Deer Park is what Woodland Park is,” Merritt said. “It’s an outdoor environment, which is what we wanted.

“It was a perfect opportunity for us.”

Merritt and his assistant manager, Cameron Montgomery, got here on April 29 to set up the store and monitor the finishing process. They also hired 11 employees, all from the local area.

Those employees will enjoy the same opportunities for advancement that Merritt had. He started with Les Schwab 21 years ago, having been hired as a 16-year old in North Bend, Wash.

“We’re a promote-from-within company,” he said. “I started at the bottom and now I have my own store.”

This is Les Schwab Tires’ first Teller County location and joins six other stores in the greater Colorado Springs area. The company now has 44 stores and nearly 500 employees across Colorado.

Merritt said Les Schwab Tires also has a long history of community investment. The company’s Tires for Purpose program is one way that will be evident in Woodland Park. The program awards local nonprofits a set of free new tires for their organization’s vehicle.

The 10,000-square-foot Woodland Park store features seven interior bays. Offerings at the new, store will include retail service, alignment, shocks, oil changes and more.

“We’re here to give you the best service, the best advice and the best warranties in the industry,” Merritt said.