GRANITE CITY, Ill. (First Alert 4) – A 14-foot-tall muffler man stands watch over historic Route 66 in Granite City, wrench in one hand and rag in the other.
Earl is the official mascot of O’Brien Tire and Auto Care, which bills itself as America’s oldest tire and auto repair shop.
The business opened in 1906 as a hardware store and garage. James O’Brien bought it and gave it the name. In 1970, Earl Binger bought it. The giant greeter out front is named after him. The shop has been family-owned ever since…