When ice cream, exotic animals and tires mix
Ice cream, exotic animals and tires do mix!
Tom Dotson of Tommy Tires proved it on Friday.
Tommy Tires summer customer appreciation day includes gallons and gallons of four flavors of ice cream – all free for the taking - from Jay Lugibihl.
MORE PHOTOS AT THE BOTTOM -
To top that off a Main Street corral loaded with some of the coolest animals under the sun, begged visitors for carrots. We spotted a couple kangaroos, a turtle the size of a medium-size dog, a camel, goats, and what certainly looked like a mini buffalo.
And they all loved carrots and there plenty to go around.
Tires took the back stage, but were the reason for the day. Here’s where the tires come in:
Tommy Tire Sales opened in Bluffton in 2010. It soon after opened a trailer division in 2012 and a tire location in Toledo that same year.
In 2012 Dotson and his wife, Sheena, started TTS Rentals and purchased the former Bluffton movie gallery on Jefferson Street turning it into Tommy’s Plaza, which now houses four businesses.
In 2015 Dotson made it possible for Lu Lu’s Diner expand to Bluffton, by purchasing the former Ideal Images building on East College Avenue.
In 2016, the company expanded its tire and trailer divisions with a new location in Ada. Also in 2016 Dotson purchased the former Easter Tire and retread location on North Street in Lima.
In late 2016 the company teamed up with Bluffton Pediatrics and now provides free teddy bears to children who require medical services there.
In January 2017 Tommy Tire Sales launched a truck and tractor sales in Ada, at the intersection of State Route 235 and 309. In addition, the company is now a dealership for TYM Tractors.
In May the company purchased Leiber Garage on Vance Street.
Stories Posted This Week
Monday, November 9, 2026
- Healing and life beyond incarceration explored at Forum
- Nov. 12 opportunity to learn Mahjong
- Door hanger craft class at Pandora library, November 17
- BPL after school movie, November 16
- Hailey's Wellness and Massage provide chair massages at Senior Center
- Bluffton area Women in Business Meeting November 19
Sunday, November 8, 2026
Saturday, November 7, 2026
- Pirates Essinger and Gatchel finish cross country season at OHSAA Championships
- Nov. 7 Bluffton Schools athletics lineup, streaming
- Pirate football hits Archbold roadblock in playoff loss
- Forum: Vaughn explores biblical and multicultural accounts of spirits and exorcism
- Bluffton University relaunches Leadership Development Program with NetVUE grant support
- Weekend Doctor: When distraction becomes the default