Midas began franchising its automotive repair shops in 1956. The company grew from an invention intended to improve vehicle mufflers into a branded network of service centers.
Midas was founded by Nate H. Sherman, who developed a muffler design that could be replaced more quickly than conventional products. The business originally focused on mufflers and later expanded into broader automotive maintenance and repair services.
Franchising enabled independent operators to use the Midas name and benefit from shared marketing, training, purchasing, and service procedures. The model was especially suited to a geographically distributed repair business.
Midas is not the same company as a car manufacturer or a rental-car chain. Its core identity has historically been automotive aftermarket service, although the range of repairs offered by individual locations has broadened over time.