New Jensen Tire & Automotive Location Welcoming ‘Monster’ Guest

By John Voket

It’s one thing to get wrapped up in the excitement of a grand opening, but Jensen Tire & Automotive owner Eddie Jensen is planning festivities at his new Trumbull locations that will reach monster proportions — literally.

The weekend of June 1 and 2, Mr Jensen will make room on the lot of his new service center at 6746 Main Street for the arrival of the popular monster truck “Bigfoot.” According to a website dedicated to promoting the massive vehicle, creator Bob Chandler gave birth to the monster truck phenomenon.

Shortly after opening an off-road and truck customizing shop in St Louis, Mr Chandler was nicknamed Bigfoot by one of his shop employees due to his heavy-right-foot driving style. The nickname stuck, and soon his original “company car,” a 1974 Ford F-250 pickup, was christened “Bigfoot.”

Bigfoot soon began appearing and competing in local truck and tractor pulls, in addition to mud runs and off-road events. And its catchy moniker soon became something of a household name in much of the Midwest, according to the website.

The truck and its enterprising owner also became notorious for the car-crushing maneuver that is now a staple of any monster truck show. The original customized truck, its creator, and a number of newer versions are part of the history books, having inspired the explosive races many people attend today at fairs and sports arenas.

Mr Jensen’s story is somewhat similar to that of Bigfoot’s creator, who originally opened up his St Louis off-road shop because he saw customer need in an area for the products and services he was selling. Mr Jensen told The Newtown Bee that he had been looking for a new location that he could own himself, and when he learned about an available property just a short distance from the busy Route 25 and 111 interchange, he decided to expand his base of operations.

As a third-generation auto repair expert, Mr Jennings is offering all the types of services his family’s customers have grown to depend on, including the Bridgestone line of tires. The repairs he performs are covered by a nationwide warranty, and extended road hazard coverage is available on all the tires he sells.

“The nationwide warranty on service and tires gives customers great peace of mind, especially if they do a lot of traveling out of state, or their kids are bringing the family car with them when they go away to college,” he said. “That’s a big plus for consumers.”

Mr Jensen is also happy to provide his customers free pick-up and drop-off when they are getting their vehicles serviced, as well as a free loner vehicle. Both Jensen locations in Stevenson and Trumbull are AAA affiliates, and as part of AAA’s network of approved service facilities, he or his mechanics will perform a preliminary inspection of any vehicle towed in within an hour of its arrival.

Grand opening festivities at the Trumbull location will be happening June 1 and 2 from 9 am to 5 pm. To learn more, visit jensenautomotive.com or call 203-459-8473.