Tire Masters has been serving Mooresville for nearly 30 years, but a massive sinkhole has forced the business to close permanently.
MOORESVILLE, N.C. — A decades-old Mooresville business has closed permanently after a massive sinkhole put its property at risk, town officials confirmed.
Tire Masters has been dealing with growing problems for years, but with no resolution in sight, the business is closing. Thursday was an emotional day for owner Chris Medford, as countless friends and customers stopped by to say goodbye and wish him well.
“It's really sad,” Nick Ramey said. “They have big hearts and love the people here. It's a very sad time.”
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“Many of the people who work here are friends of mine,” Doug Turner said. “We've built a relationship over the years and it's really sad to see them go through something like this.”
Tire Masters has been serving the Mooresville community for 28 years, but now this giant sinkhole that has been growing for years is slowly closing in and forcing them out. For those who spoke with WCNC Charlotte, that's what concerns them most.
“To spend the last 28 years putting everything I have into this business and to see it taken away from me…” Turner expressed his frustration with the current situation.
A few years ago, heavy rains caused coal ash and metal pipes to collapse. As the hole grows, Mooresville residents are wondering who is responsible for fixing it. Mayor Chris Carney said the responsibility for the sinkhole has been unfairly placed on the property owner and finding a solution is the town's top priority.
“I wish we had tackled this a few years ago,” Carney said. “That could have saved the business. And now we're dealing with a sinkhole in the middle of town that's leaking right now, and there's only going to be more leaks. There are structural problems with the building.”
Due to pending litigation, Medford was unable to speak on the matter. But the community is speaking out for him and his employees.
“I feel like no one was trying to help him,” Ramey said. “That's the sad part. We have a guy here who provides really good service and we're letting him go.”
Town leaders will consider various solutions in the coming weeks and decide what makes the most sense to protect the public interest and take care of business owners who have suffered significant losses due to the sinkhole. He said he would hire him.
Please contact Jesse Pierre. jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her Facebook, X and Instagram.
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