1931 - 2021
90 Years of Harper’s Tire.
This is a THANK YOU to Calgary, its people and the incredible spirit in the city that always keeps on rolling.
John Munroe Harper was born in Banff, on the coast of Scotland’s Aberdeenshire in 1897. In 1912, the teenager’s family immigrated to Calgary, a city of 62,000 named for a castle on the Isle of Mull.
The year the Harper family arrived in the city, sandstone schools were popping up to accommodate the booming population and the local police force recorded the municipality’s first ever serious automobile accident; a vehicle collided with a horse, killing the people in the vehicle and injuring the animal.
In 1914, as the First World War started, J.M., his three brothers and their father all enlisted in the Royal Canadian Army. After serving in France for the course of the war, J.M was offered post-service education and signed up for a vulcanizing course to learn the process of hardening rubber. In 1919, he started working at Fisk Tire where he changed the tires on milk trucks. He married Marion, who had been born in Yorkshire, in 1922.
In November 1931, just days after Dupont started manufacturing synthetic rubber, J.M., by now a father himself, bought Foster’s Vulcanizing at130 12th Ave SW. He paid the princely sum of $1,450, putting $400 up front and paying $100 a month, with 7 per cent interest.
Three generations later, after a few expansions and a couple of locations, a foray into selling boats and skis, a small stack of yellowing NSF cheques and countless tires, Harper’s Tire is celebrating 90 years in business.
Forty years ago, when Harper’s Tire moved from downtown to its current location, decades of the company’s history came along too: boxes and boxes of documents, photographs and other items dating back to the early days of the business. Many of these artifacts are reproduced on the following pages. The next time you come by the “new” location, if look closely at the concrete lip outside you’ll see where a high school student marked his initials in the wet concrete outside the brand new building: “D.H. 1981.” That student, Dan Harper, is now the president and chief historian of Harper’s Tire.
1930 POPULATION: 75,000
Alberta was hit hard by the Depression. At one point during the “Dirty Thirties” a reported 12 per cent of Calgarians were receiving welfare. Weather and insects destroyed crops and decimated herds of livestock. Commodity prices tanked. So did attendance at the Calgary Stampede. In 1935, a Calgary high school principal and Christian evangelist, William Aberhart, swept to victory as the province’s first Social Credit premier. In 1936, he introduced Prosperity Certificates, a form of scrip, meant to acquire goods and services. The poverty reduction scheme failed because businesses were reluctant to accept it. Social Credit, however, flourished, staying in power until 1971.
“My dad went through the hungry thirties and still made a living and fed his kids. So it’s been a pretty good business that way.” - Dan Harper
1940 POPULATION: 88,904
In September 1941, the provincial government ordered schools across Alberta to close because of a double shot, polio and encephalitis epidemics. In 1942, all 22 men of the Calgary Highlanders who landed at Dieppe managed to survive the doomed raid on the French beach. The Calgary Stampeders were officially founded in 1945 and in 1946, the first Calgary Stampede Queen, Patsy Rodgers, got her crown. There was much more to yahoo about the following year when Leduc No.1 hit, transforming Alberta’s economy.
“During the war years tires were rationed; so satisfactory repairs were necessary and custom retreading became a necessity. In 1945 another addition was made to the building to house the new retread molds and a basement for storage of materials and products.” - Dan Harper
1950 POPULATION: 132,000
In 1950, the Stampede Corral was built and with its 6,492 shiny new seats it became the largest arena west of Toronto. The following year, wrestler Stu Hart and his wife Helen paid $25,000 for a giant house in Patterson Heights. Hart started training wrestlers including his own sons in the basement, known as The Dungeon. In 1956, Sandy Beach and River Park along the Rideau River finally opened to the public after eight years of infighting and indecision at City Hall. Speaking of City Hall, Harper’s Tire landed a big contract retreading tires for the City buses.
“Stan was the first of the Harpers that I met and it was at Sunalta School. I got to know him a little better in high school and even better when we started dealing with Harper’s Tire. We, and the next two generations of Campbells, are customers to this day. In our mid-life, we were two of a four-some in golf, comprising two other graduates from CCI, our high school Central Collegiate Institute, sometimes referred to by jealous (I’m sure) others as Calgary’s Collection of Idiots.” - Don Campbell
“I graduated high school in 1954. I grew up with Stan and I’ve been dealing with Harper’s Tire for years and years. And my kids too. I am in the local retail business myself and it’s about how you treat people. When people treat you nice you treat them nice. It’s a two-way street. A lot of people in the retail game don’t realize that.” - Graham O’Connor
1960 POPULATION: 262,000
In 1961, the corn dog made its inaugural appearance at the Calgary Stampede, the City cut the ribbon on Glenmore Park and J.M. retired making way for his three sons, Jack, Don and Stan to take over running Harper’s Tire. In 1968 the Husky Tower opened— the tallest structure in Calgary and the tallest structure in all of Canada, except Toronto. In 1969, a bartender at the Westin Hotel mashed some clams, threw them in a glass with vodka, tomato juice and assorted other ingredients and named it after a Roman emperor, the Bloody Caesar.
“I was about 25 when I first went to Harper’s Tire. I drove a station wagon and we were one of the very first to put seat belts in our cars. My father-in-law was very much in favour of them. You could get seat belts if you wanted them before they were obligatory.” - Don Campbell
“I first remember going into Harper’s Tires in 1968 or 1969 when I was in grade three. I’ve never not bought tires from them. Dan and Tom I’ve known forever but Gord is like family too. It’s always a friendly place to go. I like to go sit there and have a coffee and talk to the guys a little bit and do a little bit of work while I’m waiting and just hang out. They’ve got a nice place and they take good care of you.” - Kevin Campbell (Don’s son)
1970 POPULATION: 389,000
At the height of the 70s boom, as many as 3,000 people were moving to Calgary every month. In 1970, Calgarians started flocking to the brand new Prince’s Island Park about the same time a giant uproar began over a proposed subdivision on Nose Hill. Three years later, City Hall set aside 4,100 acres of the giant prairie slope as parkland. About the same time, Premier Peter Lougheed took a helicopter ride over Kananaskis Lakes and agreed to make the stunning natural area a provincial park before the helicopter even landed.
“I got out of school 77/78 and Stan gave me a job. I had zero experience. I had no clue what I was doing but he gave me a shot. I was a pretty quick learner. There were a couple of times I left and worked other places, but I came back and worked on the tire side. I have always been treated fairly and Stan was always really fair with people I worked with. If someone was short of money he’d help them out.” - Kevin Read
“I went to Harper’s Tire for umpteen years. I knew all the mechanics and the same mechanic looked after my vehicle every time. If I went in for an oil change or major inspection, he did the work, he knew the car. One of the mechanics, Evans, he was looking after it for a long time.” - Paul Durant
“Stan used to come into Maclin’s (Ford dealership) once or twice a week and pick up stuff, and we would do business together. He was just a lovely guy. On two or three occasions I am sure Stan gave me his own car to drive, that’s the kind of relationship we had. Calgary was a handshake city. Your word was your bond. ‘Send me the bill Stan, be fair with us and we’ll take care of it.’ He was always a fair guy.” - Gerry Wood
1980 POPULATION: 568,000
In 1981 Calgary was awarded the Olympic Games and spent the next seven years preparing to host the world. Hidy and Howdy, and the rest of the city, welcomed the Jamaican bobsled team, helped launched Eddie the Eagle’s career and put on a terrific show. In 1986, the Flames won 4-3 over the Oilers in the playoffs to head to the Stanley Cup and, heartbreakingly, lose to the Canadiens before bringing home the Cup in 1989. As the decade ended, the Petroleum Club allowed women to become members a few years after denying entry to Pat Carney, Canada first female energy minister. Harper’s Tire, meanwhile, sold the 12th Ave building to TransAlta and build a new facility at 5516 – 4th St. SE.
“I started full-time in 1985 but I grew up in the business. We’ve been through some horrible down-shifts, but we’ve seen the good too. It teaches you to be resilient and that’s what you have to be. It’s a tough business. It’s sales oriented obviously. Dad was always amazing at that aspect because he was always truthful, and he always looked after the customer first. And that’s what he taught us to do to.” - Tom Harper
“I got to know Tom and Dan in my late teens. When I was in my early twenties and bought my first car with my own money, a Volkswagen Golf, it was a big deal to go in and get new winter tires. My father always told me it was important to have good tires. The Harpers were there for me and I’d always defer to them to help with those decisions. I feel like I have grown up with them, and all my vehicles have too.” - Tracey Button
1990 POPULATION: 738,000
In the early 1990s, a bumping Saturday night would see 10,000 people flock to the bars on Electric Avenue. The 11th Ave party—and associated criminal activity—started to die down over the decade. A brand new party started when Nashville North threw open its doors for the first time in 1992. Meanwhile a teenaged Paul Brandt won Calgary Stampede Talent Search and started to build his country music career.
“I was first welcomed into the family back in 1990. I had just started off in the tire industry I was young, green, very naive buck right out of school. I knew nothing of the tire industry. My ever-lasting impression is the sheer kindness of the family, particularly Stan. Despite not knowing me, he was very patient and compassionate. He was a very kind man and those values were obviously foundational in terms of his success.” - Tony Mougios, Michelin
“I started working at Harper’s in 1994. They treat you well and they understand it takes a while to build a good team and when you build that team you want to keep it. It’s a very good place to work. Dan and Tom like doing what they’re doing, and they know what it takes to survive and that just makes it good for everybody.” - Evans Lonnenberg
“Back in the day I spent my time with my feet up on Stan’s desk. We had long conversations, or should I say arguments, on topics of a political nature. I saw him as quite right wing, but he was 20 years older than me. Now I think I’m rather closer to his political position. My adult children are so naive. I miss the hell out of those times with Stan chatting about Alberta Report articles, Ralph Klein and all the clowns of that time.“ - Joe Zink
2000 POPULATION: 927,000
The decade began with great relief as the world’s computer systems were not wiped out by Y2K. In the coming years Calgary hit—and surpassed—the one million population mark, the Red Mile exploded with enthusiasm for the Flames’ 2004 Stanley Cup run and the price of oil skyrocketed from $20 to about $125. Encana was formed when the Alberta Energy Company Ltd. and PanCanadian Energy Corporation merged and before the end of the decade the company was split in two: Encana for natural gas and Cenovus for oil. Encana started work on The Bow building and Banker’s Hall West joined its twin on the city’s growing and impressive skyline. Meanwhile, a display case at Harper’s Tire started filling up with company artifacts.
“I was on eBay looking for hockey cards and just for fun I typed ‘Harpers Tire’ in the search engine and up came this old lighter from the 1960s or 70s. I thought this is awesome! So, I sent an email to the lady and she asked, because of my email address, whether I was one of the Harpers. I said ‘Yes, my grandfather started it and my brother and I own it now.’ She said: ‘Just pay for shipping and I’ll just send you the lighter!’ I thought that was a nice thing to do.” - Dan Harper
“I started working here in 2002, right out of high school. It’s the best place to work. I grew up with these guys and they always treated me solid. You don’t get treated as a number here. You’re a person and you’re part of the family, just like any customer who comes in. Once you do business with Harper’s, you’re part of the Harper family, and I really respect that. I really like that.“ - Garrett Jobidon
2010 population: 1,190,000
In 2012, the Peace Bridge opened and the controversy over its $26 million price tag immediately started to fade as thousands of cyclists, pedestrians and wedding photographers began to use it. Calgary was named the Cultural Capital of Canada and celebrated with a year of music, dance and theatre. In 2013, historic floods devastated parts of the city and southern Alberta and Calgarians rallied. Thousands of people just showed up at hard hit neighbourhoods, work gloves at the ready, to help dig out strangers’ basements. The Bow opened, giving Calgary a new tallest building and home to Encana’s employees. By the end of the decade the company had changed its name and moved to Denver.
“The binder of drawings and thank yous is one of my favourite possessions. I love it. It’s got all these nice things that people have said about the business, thank you letters we get from schools and various fundraisers and groups we’ve helped. I think if you have the ability and the means to help, then there’s no reason that you shouldn’t. We did one project with a school that wanted the kids to think about how business works. They came up with all these crayon sketches and no one is ever getting those away from me.” - Dan Harper
“It’s so enriching and it’s just fun to see where that money goes. We aren’t looking for people to give us pats on the back. We just want to do it to help the community because that’s how we were raised.“ - Tom Harper
“I was working down the street and I would come and wait for Gord at the end of the day. I’d be sitting there doing my Sudoku or whatever, and Stan was in the office doing paperwork. And I said ‘Could I help you with anything? This stack of papers is getting higher and higher.’ He said: ‘I’ll just do those later.’ And I said: ‘If you want, I can do them for you.” And that’s how I started.“ - Bev Savi
2021 population: 1,581,000
Just a few months into the decade, Covid-19 showed up and shut everything down. People set up their offices on their dining room tables, started wearing masks outside the house and ordering take out to keep their favourite restaurants afloat. The health care system was strained and the city’s economy, like those around the world, was hard hit by public health restrictions. Calgarians hadn’t seen anything like it since the Spanish Flu swept around the world in 1918, about the same time John Munro Harper was returning from the First World War and learning how to vulcanize rubber and work with tires.
“I had a great time working there. I had a lot of laughs and a lot of fun; I enjoyed working. But it was time to go.” - Gord Savi (retired in early 2021)
“Danny calls me the shop mom. Everybody gets along really well. They come to my office and they talk to me if something’s bugging them. One day it seemed like every 15 minutes someone was coming in here. It’s fun because we all take care of each other. It’s like Gord says, it’s like family.“ - Bev Savi
“The tire business is a good one because people will always need new tires eventually. If you treat them as well as Harpers they will return. Any business that can survive 80 or 90 years in the same family is something special. Harper’s is a quality, family business – which seems rather a rare thing these days.“ - Joe Zink
“I am grateful for my brother Dan because we both have different attributes. He’s more business-related and I am more the sales guy, and we work great together. It’s something that you don’t find in a lot of family businesses because they usually screw it up the second generation. We haven’t done that (yet). And now, with our sons, we’re working on a fourth generation.” - Tom Harper
A few years after filing its first patent for a detachable tire, Michelin introduced a poster of Bibendum, the Michelin Man. Bib, for short, gets his name from the Latin phrase “Nunc est Bibendum” which means “Now is the time to drink.” In the 1898 poster, Bib is holding a goblet filled with broken glass and other hazards. Beneath him the copy reads: “The Michelin tire drinks up obstacles.”
“I remember dad telling me he was one of the first tire dealers in Western Canada to sell Michelin. This was in the late 60’s early 70’s. Michelin was not very well known or supported in North America at that time and it was a big risk for my dad to take them on as a supplier. It turned out to be a fantastic decision. Harper’s and Michelin have been intertwined in Calgary ever since.” - Dan Harper
