You ain't missing anything.
Almost forgotten auto parts stores.
- Thread starter Chris142
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- Nov 28, 2021
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- 209
I am also in Minnesota and remember that 10,000 Auto Parts and Champion Auto Stores seemed to be the 2 big competitors back in the 80's. Then Champion Auto bought 10,000 auto parts, then Big Wheel Rossi came to town and became a competitor, then Champion went out of business and Big Wheel Rossi was bought out by Checker Auto, and then became Oreilly's.
Along side that whole convoluted mess was Napa. They've just kind of always been there and haven't changed much, while everyone around them seemed to be wheeling and dealing and going out of business and gobbling each other up.
On North Avenue.... That's the one I used to go to!
They were across the street from Strat's, a long-time cruise-night spot which just closed a few weeks ago.
Across from Mac’s Golden Pheasant. That just closed too. What’s up with North Avenue?
They were huge on all the stick-on stuff back in the day. 90% of the store was stick-on stuff that does absolutely nothing.
My dad had his truck towed there once for a brake line and a new battery because they were the closest place to where the brake line blew.
When we went back to get the truck, they pulled it around and left it running. The brake line was fixed ... easy enough to tell because the brakes worked. He stopped at a Wendy's to get some quick food and the truck was stone dead. They sold him a used battery - at new price - that was even older than the battery he had in the truck before. Surprisingly they didn't fight it when the truck got towed back. Someone knew what was going on for sure.
I noticed that too! Guess I missed out, although I've driven by about a billion times. Never been in there.
In Canada, KMart’s had garages and sold parts, now gone.
Woolco did the same thing, now gone.
Sears did the same thing, garages and parts, they are also gone!
Wal-Mart Canada sells basic auto supplies, but no hard parts, and they have closed their auto centres as well!
Woolco did the same thing, now gone.
Sears did the same thing, garages and parts, they are also gone!
Wal-Mart Canada sells basic auto supplies, but no hard parts, and they have closed their auto centres as well!
Hi-Lo Auto parts. Houston, Texas 1989 was my first exposure to them. Loved that place. Got bought out in the 90s, IIRC, and then bought out again by O'Reilly. Again IIRC lol.
Hermann
Site Donor 2023
When I was a brash 8-12 year old there was a Western Auto a half block away in Jefferson City. Spent many hours there looking at everything from rubber band powered gliders, bicycles (remember buying a bike speedometer there for my first 10-speed, which came from there. IIRC their store brand bikes were called "Western Flyer". Then when I drove later in life, it was time for auto parts. When I was in college in Kirksville MO the franchise owner was a fraternity brother, he passed two weeks ago. RIP Jim. All history now and good memories of a simpler times.
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- Mar 1, 2025
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Grabbed this old hat today to wear at work. But then wondered if anyone in Kanasas City would even know what Champion Auto was?
We had a local store on Washington Ave. fifty years ago, can't remember the name now, maybe Malone's or similar. I liked going there even though I wasn't mechanical and rarely had reason to go. Too bad all the independent shops are pretty much swallowed up.
