Wheel Works

Wheel Works is a privately held automotive service chain that focuses on wheels, tires, and related under-car work for passenger vehicles and light trucks. The company’s stores handle tire sales and installation, wheel and rim repair, brake service, alignments, and suspension work. It operates as a specialist in wheel and tire care, providing a focused alternative to general repair shops and large national tire retailers.

Founded in 1985, Wheel Works began as a dedicated wheel and tire service provider serving Midwestern drivers. The business grew steadily over the following decades through a mix of new store openings and the purchase of existing neighborhood tire and wheel shops. In the early 2000s, the company reached an important milestone when it brought several local operations together under a single brand and operating platform, creating a more unified presence across its markets.

As of December 2024, Wheel Works operates 18 company-owned locations across Illinois and Indiana. The chain is headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, and maintains a strong concentration in the Chicago metropolitan area and surrounding suburbs, along with additional sites in central Illinois and Northwest Indiana. The business is not a franchise system and does not offer franchise opportunities. All locations are corporately operated, which supports consistency in format and decision-making for landlords and developers.

Over roughly the past five years, Wheel Works has focused on deepening its presence within its core region rather than expanding nationally. During this period, the company has added stores through both ground-up development and acquisitions of existing tire and wheel shops, often rebranding and upgrading those locations. This has allowed the chain to fill in trade areas where it already has name recognition while broadening its service reach within the same general footprint.

Today, Wheel Works is actively expanding within the Chicago area, Northwest Indiana, and central Illinois. Growth is deliberate and market-dense, with new units typically located along well-trafficked retail corridors in strip centers or as standalone automotive pads with strong visibility and access. The chain’s preferred size and format align with neighborhood and community centers as well as larger retail projects that benefit from daily-use service tenants.

For landlords, brokers, and developers, Wheel Works represents a long-tenured, regionally recognized automotive service operator with an established track record and a clear plan to keep building out in its existing markets. Real estate and development decisions are handled by the corporate real estate team at the Northbrook headquarters, giving property owners a direct line to the decision-makers who control site selection and growth.