Ford’s Tire and Auto closes after over 2 decades

Ford’s Tire and Automotive at 1680 Russell St. closed Feb. 16.

“It was like family; that is the hardest part of it,” business owner Mike Bedenbaugh said. “You have been taking care of people and now you got their kids and you are taking care of their cars.”

“We definitely had a very dedicated customer base,” he continued, noting it was not unusual to get holiday cards and gifts from customers.

“That is what you miss: the customers. Customers have been pulling up and saying, ‘I heard the word.’ It has been quite an emotional day actually.”

Bedenbaugh 56, said he is ready to retire.

“It was a great time for me to kind of step aside and do something else, possibly rest a while,” Bedenbaugh said. “I am happy with the outpouring of thoughts and expressions. That is a little heart-getter there. You feel like you are leaving, but you are not leaving. You are going to enjoy yourself and people are happy for me about that.”

“It was a big deal to do,” he continued. “Been talking about it for a while and just finally said, ‘Hey, it is time to do it.'”

The business employed four.

Freddie Ford started the business in September 2000 and operated it for 14 years before Bedenbaugh purchased it about 10 years ago. The location was formerly a Goodyear station prior to Ford’s purchase.

“The Fords are downtown Orangeburg people and we have no intention of going anywhere,” Ford’s daughter Sarah said. “There are no plans to sell this building. The Fords have no intention of going anywhere.”

“We are grateful for Michael carrying on Dad’s tradition for so long and proud of the work he has done,” Ford said. “We are excited for him that he will be able to get a little bit of rest.”

“Things have a natural progression sometimes and it is just good timing for everybody to make a change,” Ford said. “It is definitely bittersweet.”

Freddie Ford came to Orangeburg in 1984 after training with Firestone in Augusta, Ga. He was offered management opportunities in Orangeburg or Atlanta.

“I’m not a big city guy,” Ford said. He chose Orangeburg as closer to his native Chester.

He managed the Firestone store on John C. Calhoun Drive in Orangeburg from 1984 until 1997 before joining Steve and Betty Tyson at the former Tyson Tire on U.S. 301.

Ford’s objective was to open his own store, which he did with the support of the Tysons. “He (Steve) helped me go into business. That’s so uncommon.”

Ford opened in 2000 and moved into the present store in 2001, bringing with him a knowledge of Orangeburg and building on a reputation for customer service.

“Everybody’s got a secret sauce,” Ford said. Some business people have a great system. “I was a not a systems guy.

“If you want to do well, you got to have a little secret sauce. … You have to care.”

Ford credits loyal customers and good employees with his success. He has seen a number of former employees move on to own their own businesses or move into fields such as education.

“Every day at our business … we had fun. I was not a burden,” Ford said. “The people who worked for me are lifelong friends.”

In addition to his auto business, Ford was also a founding partner with wife Michelle and Bobby and Jean Hooker in opening Longwood Plantation assisted living.

“It’s been a great place. I made a life here,” Ford said of Orangeburg.

“I’ve told this to many people over the years. Out-of-town folks would have car trouble, get towed in and stay at the shop for a while and they’d say, ‘Tell me about Orangeburg.’ I would say, ‘If you want to be happy here, you will be. If you want to be miserable here, you will be.’ In my opinion, Orangeburg is the greatest place to be and has the best people in the world.”

Ford said he hopes to know more on plans for the building in coming months.

The business was more than a tire shop and service area.

Music brought Ford and Bendenbaugh together, with the two of them and others joining together for musical sessions at the store about once a month. Before COVID, 100 to 125 people would be in attendance.

“It was magical,” Ford said.

“We have had so many good times in here,” Sarah Ford said. “It has been so good. This has been a gathering place for a lot of people whether it has been to come to get their cars done, playing music or community events.”

“How many times have we said, “Meet at the tire store. Meet at the tire store,” Bedenbaugh said. “It was just a place to hang.”

Bedenbaugh and Freddie Ford had mutual friends who rediscovered their love of playing music and gradually got them together at the Russell Street store.

“That was definitely a bonding thing for Dad and Michael and a community bonding thing,” Sarah Ford said. “Who plays music in a tire store? But we had a great time doing it.”

“It just steam rolled into something: the Lug Nutz,” Bedenbaugh said. “That was our little group name because we were at the tire store and we just called ourselves the Lug Nutz.”

“We had some wild ones down here,” Bedenbaugh continued. “We had 120 people up front playing music at night.”

The events served as fundraisers for Toys for Tots, with an estimated $40,000 raised for the program.

“Those people end up being your customers,” Bedenbaugh said. “They ask you about their car, but then they talk about the music. They will support us. Of course, when we did Toys for Tots, the number one supporters were our customers.”

In addition to the Toys for Tots, Ford’s Tire and Automotive has been a supporter of the community over the years, including the Children’s Miracle Network and the former Regional Medical Center’s Blood Assurance Program.

Ford and Bedenbaugh also have been supporters of the Downtown Orangeburg Revitalization Association. They backed a number of downtown events such as the annual downtown Orangeburg Car Show and Craft Fair, the Taste of Orangeburg and the St. Patrick’s Day festival.

The business has also donated to the City of Orangeburg’s Parks and Recreation program to help fund various activities and has participated in sponsoring the placement of U.S. flags in downtown Orangeburg.

As he moves into retirement Bedenbaugh says, “I am not hurrying to do anything.”

Sleeping in is also something he can get used to.

“I am usually here at a quarter to six every day,” Bedenbaugh said, noting he slept until 7:30 this particular morning. “I never had a vacation day since I owned it. It was a labor of love.”