About 70 customers showed up at a Thornhill tire shop — roughly two‑thirds left without the tires and rims they'd paid to store — after the business abruptly closed. Tire Depot and Auto Services at 34 Doncaster Ave., a shop that had operated for more than 20 years, displayed an ‘Out of Business’ sign and left many seasonal sets locked inside. York Regional Police and on‑site security helped manage a long line of customers while a bailiff supervised the closure; the landlord is trying to contact the former owner and many missing items were reportedly kept offsite but their location remains unclear.
Closure and the scramble at the storefront
The sudden shutdown left a long line of customers at the Thornhill address hoping to reclaim seasonal tires they'd paid to store. The shop, Tire Depot and Auto Services, had been operating for more than two decades before the door was locked and the sign put up. The scene drew York Regional Police and on‑site security, who worked with a bailiff to manage crowds and keep vehicles moving on Doncaster Avenue.
About 70 customers showed up that day, the bailiff said, and only about one third walked away with their tires and rims. People waited for hours. Some left empty‑handed. Emotions ran high — anger, disbelief and frustration were common reactions among those who’d relied on the business for seasonal storage.
Which customers were affected
Regular customers described the store as a long‑standing local service where they stored summer or winter sets across seasons. “It’s been around forever, you store your tires in the winter and pick them up in the summer and showing up today, they're out of business,” said Terry Riyasat, a customer, describing the surprise many felt when they arrived.
Some customers reported multiple sets remained missing after the closure. Several people also said that replacing original rims to match vehicle specifications would be an added expense.
Extent of the losses and storage questions
Those on site were told many of the shop’s stored items had been kept at an off‑site location. But where those items are now is unclear. The bailiff and on‑site staff could confirm only that some property was returned and a large portion was unaccounted for at the time customers were allowed to reclaim what remained.
The landlord of the Doncaster Avenue property is still trying to reach the former owner of Tire Depot and Auto Services. The landlord has declined to confirm specifics publicly but has been involved in the effort to clear the premises and reunite people with any property that can be found.
Financial fallout for customers
The immediate financial hit falls on customers who paid to store tires and now face replacing missing sets or paying to retrieve them if they turn up later. For people whose tires were mounted on original rims, the expense can be higher than buying tires alone; replacing rims that match a vehicle’s specifications can add substantially to cost.
Beyond replacement expenses, customers may face indirect costs: cancelled appointments for tire changes, added wear on alternative tyres they must keep using, and time spent chasing paperwork or filing claims. For some households that keep multiple vehicles, losing two seasonal sets can mean a sizeable unplanned expense.
Because the bailiff was on site, the situation appears to have moved into a formal property‑recovery process rather than an informal dispute.
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The bailiff supervising the closure said about 70 customers showed up that day and only about one third were able to retrieve their tires and rims; the landlord continues efforts to contact the former owner and locate the remaining sets.
This article was created with AI assistance.
