Hummel Sisters Help Humboldt Hit the Road 

“In the late 1970s early 1980s, the only thing at this end of Fortuna was the firehouse, elementary school and Safeway. There were sheep in the fields.” As the tire shop was not in downtown or midtown Fortuna for merchant events, Wendy said her dad declared, “By God, this is Hummel Town!” He assumed its mayoral duties (with tongue firmly planted in cheek) and set about building a solid business that still serves Fortuna 48 years later.

The Hummels built the business to include family, if they so wanted. Adolescents Wendy and Lisa were up to their elbows in tires from the get-go. As they once grew into the business, so might Wendy’s son Kyle Franck someday. He has gone from working after school in the shop’s busy bays to becoming a mechanical engineer scooped up by Google. Wendy said, “We encouraged him to do what he wanted to do. We both did the same at his age. Too many people and not enough room in the business for us all.” Meanwhile, Wendy’s daughter Madeline is a talented artist following her own muse. The sisters themselves had left and returned to the business 20 years ago. They were allowed to grow and do their own thing, too.

The Hummel family strategy is why the sisters work so well together to keep the business vital after their parents passed on. “We were raised in an atmosphere with no animosity or fighting. Mom and Dad championed the next generation. They taught us well,” said Wendy.

“Uncle Bill and our parents were great mentors. They showed how to make it work by example.”

They do seem to have the right formula, laughing as they spoke, but with a lot of love. “We are much alike and are also very different. We respect each other’s opinions and brains,” said Lisa. “We each have strengths and weaknesses that complement each other. We live together, too!” Their home is on land owned by their family for five generations, another sign of their deep community roots.

Wendy’s and Lisa’s commitment to their business and customers is obvious — Hummel Tire & Wheel was voted Humboldt’s Best Tire Shop by North Coast Journal readers in 2024. For a small shop, they offer a lot of needed services. They added struts, shocks and brakes, making sure you can come to a safe stop at South Fortuna Boulevard and Kenmar Road. The Hummels offer roadside assistance, which is key in a county with a lot of winding rural roads. Size is no problem, as Hummel can replace tires for hand-trucks up to skidder loaders. Although the shop does not carry motorcycle tires, the sisters do all tire mounting and dismounting for Redwood Acres and Samoa Dragstrip racers at no charge.

The Hummel sisters kept up their parents’ ethic of balancing family and community life along with a lot of wheels. Hal left some deep treads throughout town, being a charter member of Fortuna Sunrise Rotary, president of the Fortuna Chamber of Commerce, and Fortuna Citizen of the Year. Lisa followed those well-laid tracks to serve a stint as chamber president herself and was awarded Fortuna Citizen of the Year in 2019. Their father’s Company No. 1 volunteer firefighter genes are ever present with recent recognition by the Bridgeville Fire Protection District for helping to keep the firetrucks rolling safely along.

Wendy and Lisa were recognized with the 2024 Roy Curless Community Award, and the family’s Rodeo service goes way back. Hal served on the Fortuna Rodeo Board and the shop still closes for its annual parade.

When the Humboldt County Farm Bureau announced its inaugural Friend of the Farmer Award, it was no surprise that it was presented to Hummel Tire & Wheel. A flat tire under any circumstance is a problem, but imagine a flat at harvest time on a big combine. In the middle of a field. Wendy and Lisa make sure Humboldt’s farmers and ranchers can roll when they need to roll. Their support of the agricultural community also means they come home from the Future Farmers of America livestock auction with a light wallet and a full freezer (lamb kabobs anyone?). Whether raising funds for veterans or collecting Coats for Kids, the sisters and Hummel Tire & Wheel rise to meet the challenge. They are totally invested in Fortuna’s future.

“We bleed Fortuna blue!” said Wendy.

“And red too! The Eel Valley is home. You get so much out of it when you give back, like Flags on Main to honor our veterans. Making community stronger,” added Lisa.

The tag-team enthusiasm of the sisters is contagious, especially when asked to finish the sentence “Our Humboldt life is ….”

Without hesitation, “Blessed!” they replied, followed with peals of happy laughter.

“We are very, very grateful,” said Wendy. “Plus it’s a rockin’ cool place to live — but don’t tell anybody.”