Folks Of Interest Your "Go To" auto parts house/counterman

I actually thought about this thread a while back, but in light of the recent AutoZ. parts bashing thread I figured why not put up something helpful and that we all can scribble down and store away for future road trips, or maybe for somebody in your same town or region that is flopping around in a sea of "Year?, Model?, Engine size?, Transmission?, A/C?, 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel?, etc." chain stores.

With that said, put up the name, location (city & state), hours, maybe even phone, of a local parts dealer (junk, over-the-counter, or speed) who, in your long experience in dealing with them, would be a place your not embarrased to recommend to friends and out-of towners alike.

For example, although I live in Fresno, Ca., when I worked for the public works dept. in Madera, Ca. (just north of Fresno) there was a store that was, and still is, known for having a counter full of "Let me see the part" guys 7 days a week.
George's Auto, (559) 673-5117, 130 E. 4th street, Madera, Ca.

This place can get you just about anything for anything. This place has been in busineess for at least 40 years (even though there's an AutoZ, Napa, and Kragen just around the corner). The name is seriously known Central Valley-wide. The owner Calvin is one of the BEST! He's been a savior to my many car builds numerous times. If you go in there, or call them, tell 'em Scotty (formerly of "City of Madera" fame) from Fresno sent ya.

 

I remember 'back in the day" an auto parts store with wood floors where the owners lived upstairs. If you needed something after they closed all you had to do was knock on their door and they would open up. Those days are gone forever. When was the last time you've been in a store with wood floors. Welcome to Auto Zone, Advance, NAPA and their questions of year, make and model.

 

while there's a few of us left who can pull part numbers out of thin air for obscure, obsolete, and unobtainable parts; the majority are gonna have to know where to start when it comes to a distributor lead wire for an FE or an ignition condenser for dual points distributor on a Mustang 289. not many of the present day chains even keeps a rack of paper catalogs to work with; they rely on a computer system designed to focus on cars only ten years old and newer.
my point is, that it takes TIME to learn to be a counterman, and old ones like ME aren't gonna stay behind the counter forever. want a good parts guy? make one! get to know the staff at the best store you can find, and teach them. educate them, get them involved, be friendly and be patient with those young guys or gals. don't be that "grumpy old bastard" that they avoid like the plague when you walk in!

 

Jeff at Napa in Westerville Ohio is the man to see if you're on the north side of Columbus. It's still a Napa so there's still some of the usual stuff, but he'll get out the books when need be. Tell him the kid with the mohawk and the comet sent you.

 

If you're in the eastern part of the SFV, (Sun Valley, Burbank, etc), call Randy @ Rounds Auto Parts (818 767 7131). If you need a certain THIS for a certain THAT, he's a great "go to" guy. I swear, I'd consider retiring if he closed his doors. He's that helpful. No bullshit. Tell him I sent you

 

If you do it right, you might get them to give you your own paper catalogs (be sure to ask if they have any old ones they haven't thrown out yet)....and they might let you wander around the shelves looking for just what you need.

I've been doing that for about 20 years at a local place that's been in business over 50 years. Although the owner (son of the founder) did finally move out of the store...onto the golf course...

 

God I do miss those days...

There used to be this place, Rose's auto parts, in Louisville. Wooden floors, bell on the door, the whole 9 yards of what a classic parts store was supposed to be.

Bill Rose, the owner, was the classic old car parts guy. Smart as they come and knew all the part #'s by heart.

I developed my appreciaton for him when I brought in an alternator. He tested it and it was bad. Then he says "I can sell you a new one for $22, or we can try and rebuild this one... Cost 'ya bout $12"

He took me back in the machine shop, offered me a pepsi, and talked cars with me while he rebuilt it right there in front of me. Took him about 1/2 hour. He had to stop twice to help other customers. Charged me $11.70 and sent me on my way.

He passed away about 15 years ago, and his funeral had over 500 people show up for the service. The business got sold and then quickly went downhill, and closed down a couple years later.

The world lost a good one the day he died.

 

The place to go in Rochester, NY (where???) is Schnabel's Auto Parts on Buffalo Rd. They've been in business since 1946 and the original owner use to race step-down Hudsons on the roundy-round circut. Nothing much has changed and the counter guys know their stuff. I love walking in and getting greeted with a smile and a "What the fuck do you want?", tell them and have them go get it for me.

 

There are still a few good ones here in the Yakima Valley of Washington state but the AZ's and their ilk are moving in fast.

 

Parts plus in Bakersfield, Ca has been helpful. It really depends on the car though. They could tell me all day about stuff for my 53 and 63 but when it came to the 58 Olds the books didnt have anything. Might just be that car.

 

see ronnie at speed world in union nj he used to race and is a napa help me out a few times another is buywise auto in union nj most chain stores are a waste of time thier counter people are just computer whores

 

I haven't been ther in years! Are they still there? When I went to Lincoln Tech we were there all the time.

 

Great topic i think that this is a good idea.I have had plenty of problems with the chain stores over here in getting parts.All of the old mom & pop auto parts are closed down on my side of town.Anyone in the Houston area ( inside of the loop ) post up any ones that you know about.

 

Hovis Auto supply if your in butler pa, they have 20 year olds that actually know what a flathead is and can tell if its for a Ford or a Lincoln. Went their to get my mower rebuilt, ended up leaving with knowlegde and a still broke mower. the owner has atleast 500 p/n books behind the counter.

 

"Parts speak" is its own language, and it's one of those 'gotta wantta' things. As a former Ford parts mgr I went thru my share of counter help. After a few weeks it was usually obvious if the newbies wanted to learn or just wanted a paycheck. I always felt good when they started chatting in "parts-ese" , Hey, do you know where the 16005 (fender) went that was out back? or - we need more FL1As (oil filters) ordered. When they spoke like that, it was a good indicator they were keepers. Find a counterperson that talks the talk and you'll likely have one who likes doing it and does it good, no matter where they be.

 

I actually kinda lucked out in this dept when I got married. My father-in-law is actually the store manager at a Car Quest here. He's been selling parts for at least 30 years. He knows his stuff. He will let me look around on the shelves until I find what I need, and gives me great discounts. Believe me, no one misses the good ol days of parts stores more than him. Everything is getting so corporate and political with these big chains. It drives him crazy. They don't even need to know anything about cars to work there anymore. The computer prompts them with all the questions. As long as they put in the right answers, it gives them the correct part numbers.

 

yes they are still there

 

All of my uncle's, one of them own's it, works at a Napa store. So I get good deals on stuff when I need it. One of them owns it, one of them retired after being the service mngr at a Dodge dearlership for 30+ yrs and now works the counter, the other is the machine shop man....but they are an hour away.

My local guy at Advance Auto Parts is Jeremiah......

But when in doubt, call Dan Marvin(dMarv on here) at Exeter Auto Parts. He's the bomb.

 

I live in St.Thomas, so yea you guested it. I call Bitsy at NAPA, in Portsmouth Va. Shes the best, weather its for my 29 Hot Rod im building, or the generators I service for my customers, or just general parts for a neighbor, she gets it or explanes why, or how and how soon. And for the first time since ordering stuff from the states, she says when it will get here, and I used to laugh, cause they still use the pony here, but she is never wrong. We don't talk, most of our communication is fax or the computer. But she is one heak of a parts GAL. Ice man

 

Napa, South Miami.
David or Jose are the guys to talk to.

 

O.D. Kenney Auto Parts in Slaton, TX (just outside of Lubbock) has been in business in the same location and owned by the same family since 1926. Nuff said. I moved away from there a few months ago and I miss the hell out of it. I go back about once a month and start making a list of parts I'm going to need about a week before I leave.

There is one local owned parts store here where I moved to and I went in hoping to find something comparable but was kind of taken back by the condition of the place. Open boxes of parts all over the floor. Stuff all over the counter, year old or more cigarette ashes all over the counter, overflowing trash cans everywhere. But I still go there instead of the Orielys down the road.

 

We still have the "old style" parts shops here.

"Merle's Auto Parts"..same countermen been there for years. Real PAPER catalogs..and computers..but better..guys that know parts..crossovers..adaption for rods..

 

i ain't gonna name a name but we have a local "old school" shop that uses OUR software to check OUR inventory online and quote prices to his customers. i stopped in on the down low and checked on a price for something i knew we had.... i won't be buying anything from him, nuff said. we had a great old guy that ran his own Ford parts yard, Rock Salisbury, but sadly he passed away on May5 of this year. there's nobody left locally of his character and quality, and it's starting to hurt trying to find Ford stuff. Rock was a Ford parts manager and he had those numbers and specs in his head for real. he helped keep my projects going more than once!

and those paper catalogs? i save all kinds of them, even from rival stores, just for the information.

 

You guys are lucky that you still have those places. Used to be a couple really good ones here too. One shut down after many years in the same spot because the city wanted the land. This was the wood floor, roll up door, watch 'em on the bake lathe place. they moved to a new place but were never the same and closed when all the blister pack stores opened here. We had two great counter guys in the area here, the kind that didn't need yr/make/ and color to get you a part. Both guys died young, one from drugs(!!) and the other from drinking. I had seen these guys go out and get under vehicles in the parking lot when the owner didn't know what he really needed. Must be stressfull being a good counter guy. I have one guy at Autozone that is pretty good and I'm trying to make him better. He actually smiles when I come in and ask for something with "no application"....

 

I gotta give some credit to Rob and Tom @ O'reilly's on Robert street in West St. Paul. They're both good guys, and really know their stuff. Plus, Rob knows damn near everyone in town who can help you with a problem he can't solve.

 

Anyone in Central Mass come see me at C.A.P. in Milford. Exit 20 off 495. It's not just a store it's the warehouse for 23 stores. I'll do anything I can for you & I won't ask you what color the seats are! "Uhhhh! I need a year! I've gotta tell the computer a year!"

 

We are fortunate out here. Our Carquest is Corp but hte former indy owners still run it and have a couple aces working. Our Napa is local and bought out the other cool Indy parts house. I will only deal with 2-3 folks there, the rest of the counter are mouth breathing oxygen bandidts. Have another Indy place that sadly I have never done much with............

 

Ask for Rich at Cicle Circle City Auto Parts. Indy southside Greenwood area. He is a bit gruff but knows part #s and will get you what you need. Rich has grew up at the counter and is into rods. Guys like rich are a lifesaver!

 

Very well spoken Rebel. I've been in the bussiness for 29+ years at a family owned (not my family) indapendant store that has been in bussiness since 1936. I was broke down in Knoxville IA last year and went into the O'Rileys store there and they let me use there book and calipers to figure out what number bearing I needed after my first quess was off a little. I'm getting old though. I can put up with the grumpy old bastards a lot better than I can the cocky young bastards anymore.

 

L.J. ('Lil Joe) at the local Auto Value. (810)787-6596