For legacy franchise brands, staying recognizable is only part of the challenge. The other half is making sure that familiarity continues to feel relevant.
Midas is approaching that balance through a physical transformation of its retail footprint. This month the automotive service brand unveiled two new national store design concepts, Contemporary Industrial and Urban Modern, as part of a broader effort to modernize how customers experience Midas locations across the United States and Canada.
The designs will apply to new builds and renovations across a system that includes more than 1,200 locations, bringing new architecture, updated customer spaces and greater visibility into the service experience. For Midas, the redesign represents more than a fresh exterior. It is another stage in a brand evolution that is touching everything from advertising and store environments to franchise development and emerging automotive technology.
Turning a Familiar Auto Brand Into a Modern Retail Experience
The two concepts address different types of markets while maintaining a consistent Midas identity.
Contemporary Industrial was developed for high-traffic suburban and highway-adjacent locations. The concept uses prominent signage, high-contrast branding, and a functional layout intended to create a stronger roadside presence.
Urban Modern takes a different approach. Designed for denser and more walkable markets, the concept incorporates large storefront windows, warmer design accents, and a more retail-oriented interior.
Both formats feature a six-bay, in-line layout, including a dedicated Advanced Driver-Assistance System, or ADAS, bay. The inclusion reflects how automotive service centers are adapting as vehicle technology becomes more sophisticated. Inside, Midas is also expanding customer waiting areas, improving service bay visibility and creating a cleaner flow between customers and employees.
“Driven by customer and franchisee insights, the new store designs are the next step in the company’s national brand evolution and honors our 70-year legacy as one of the leaders in the auto care industry,” said Lenny Valentino, Jr., President and COO of Midas International. “These designs offer better bay visibility, larger waiting areas, cleaner flow — all intentional features built around how people experience a Midas store.”
The changes illustrate an increasingly important consideration for established franchise systems: a store remodel can serve as both an operational investment and a brand statement.
For customers, physical spaces often become one of the most tangible expressions of a franchise brand. Updating those spaces gives companies an opportunity to rethink how customers move through the business, how employees interact with them, and what impression the environment leaves behind.
Using Customer Experience to Guide the Refresh
Midas said customer and franchisee research played a role in shaping the new concepts. Rather than developing one design, the company created two formats that can adapt to different real estate environments while preserving common brand elements.
“In our research, we discovered that we could design new stores that provide smoother customer flows, quicker interactions between customers and Midas team members, and more waiting areas for customers and their families,” said Paul Elliott, VP of Midas Marketing. “The new designs do just that. Whether a franchisee chooses Contemporary Industrial or Urban Modern, the customer’s experience will feel intentional—modern, welcoming, and unmistakably Midas.”
That consistency will be important as the designs move through the franchise system. Midas said it will work with franchisees on future building projects to meet the updated brand guidelines and maintain cohesion across markets.
The rollout also fits into the company’s five-year strategic growth plan, launched in 2023, and follows the first anniversary of Midas’ acquisition by Mavis Tire Express Services Corp.
Midas said it has opened a record number of stores during 2026, representing what the company described as its most significant period of growth and market expansion in decades.
A New Store Prototype Takes Shape in South Carolina
Customers will get their first look at the Contemporary Industrial concept in Irmo, South Carolina, where the first ground-up store featuring the design is expected to open in early 2027.
The location will be developed by Gus Herlong, CEO and Co-owner of Palmetto Garage Works, a Midas franchise operator with locations across South Carolina, the Greater Washington, D.C. region and North Florida. The Irmo development will become Herlong’s 36th Midas location.
“The momentum around Midas is incredible and I’m excited for this next chapter in the company’s journey,” said Herlong. “Consumers across the country trust Midas and the services we provide to keep them safe on the road. Now, they’ll be able to experience the evolution of the Midas brand and image in-person. I can’t wait for residents of Irmo to visit our new store so that we can earn their trust for years to come.”
For franchisees, new prototypes can help signal where a brand expects to go next. Store design can influence site selection, customer perception, operating efficiency, and the overall experience franchise owners deliver in their local markets. It can also help an established brand maintain continuity while giving new locations a more current appearance.
Refreshing the Brand From Advertising to Architecture
The new store designs arrive during a broader period of brand activity for Midas.
Earlier in 2026, the company introduced its “Midas is The Best” national campaign as part of its 70th anniversary marketing effort. The campaign features actor William Zabka portraying a master technician and, according to Midas, has generated double-digit increases in direct traffic and more than 18 million YouTube views since its launch.
The store redesign extends that brand refresh from media into the physical customer experience. That connection matters. Advertising can shape how consumers think about a brand before they arrive, but the retail environment has to reinforce that promise once they walk through the door. For a franchise system with decades of history, the goal is not necessarily to erase what customers recognize. The stronger approach is often to identify the elements worth preserving and redesign the experience to align with how customers expect to interact with businesses today.
Midas appears to be taking that route. Its familiar name and automotive service positioning remain intact, while the architecture, customer areas, technology capabilities, and overall retail presentation move forward. As the company continues pursuing franchise growth in priority markets, Contemporary Industrial and Urban Modern will give new and renovated stores a common visual framework for the next phase of the brand.
After 70 years, the Midas name may already be familiar to generations of drivers. Its latest redesign is a pursuit to make sure the experience behind that name continues evolving for the generations still to come.
