Rochester, NY — Advance Auto Parts is an auto parts supplier where customers and mechanics can purchase vehicle supplies wholesale. The company recently announced plans to close more than 500 stores and cut an additional 200 independent stores by the middle of next year.
The company said this was part of its “strategic plan to improve its business” after the third quarter showed a loss of $6 million on revenue of $2.15 billion. Although the specific locations and number of affected employees have not been made public, the overall structure of the new company has been made clear. York County may also be affected.
But local mechanics across the country may be looking for new places to buy auto parts.
“We rarely see any kind of price decline. I can’t think of anything,” said Andrew Resch, owner of Resch Auto Service. It’s not a steep cliff that you can climb. Little by little over the years. ”
Supply chain issues, timely international sales, and inflation have all recently threatened the auto repair industry. Resch took over his family’s garage in January, but his grandfather started the business in the 1950s. Lesh said he has worked in the garage off and on since middle school. He said that although rising costs are difficult, he wants to ensure prices that customers can afford.
“We haven’t adjusted for the impact of inflation on the overall numbers,” Lesh said. “Our revenue increased year over year. However, as prices increase, so does our revenue. We want to continue to provide our customers with peace of mind. We also need to pay our employees a living wage. That’s very important to me. Profitability is only important to me because we don’t have many shareholders who demand continued growth. I’m willing to sacrifice things like that to provide community service.”
One of Resch’s engineers, Jeff Rodgers, has been in the industry for 27 years. He has been an employee of Resch’s Auto Services for approximately the past 10 years.
“I was playing with cars and stuff even before I could drive,” Rogers said. (I) started by taking apart bikes and things like that. And when you start learning how to take things apart and put them back together, it turns into a passion and you realize that this could be kind of lucrative. You can make a living from this. My passion is cars. I like cleaning them. I like driving them. I like fixing them. ”
He’s seen a little bit of everything, so he wasn’t surprised to hear that Advanced Auto Parts was closing.
“So many different parts have come and gone, and we’ve basically used them all,” he acknowledged.
Advance Auto said the closures are a cost-cutting strategy as prices in the auto industry continue to rise. In Thursday’s announcement, the company cited goals including “accelerating the pace of new store openings” and adopting a standardized operating model. The company also cited its supply chain consolidation plans, noting that it expects to incur costs associated with converting certain stores and distribution centers into “market hubs.”
“It’s going to hurt, but there are a lot of places like Amazon,” Rogers said. When buying, do your research at a reputable place to make sure you’re buying the right one. ”
He, too, says he buys parts from websites like Amazon and eBay, but prefers the in-store experience to get guaranteed service.
“For my car, I shop on eBay because I can wait. If I need something, I can wait a little bit, but that’s a big deal,” Rogers said. It’s much cheaper than going to a physical store. I like being able to walk into a store and have a conversation with someone. That way, if a problem arises, you can go back and talk to the same person. They can find problems and deal with them correctly. ”
Having worked on cars since he and his friends could drive, he agrees that rising parts prices are unacceptable.
“In terms of parts and labor, it’s amazing how much everything has gone up in the span of a few years, well, 20 years is not just a few years, but 20 years. It’s gone up a lot. Sometimes it’s like sticker shock. You can feel things. Holy cow! “Actually, that’s it for now,” he laughed. “Everything goes up in price, but you still want to go to the store because they have to keep the lights on too. So I’m a big proponent of trying to keep things local, but unfortunately And not everyone has everything they need.”
“When it comes to auto parts and auto repair, the most important thing an individual can do is work with local shops,” Loesch agreed.
Parts from overseas can also cause problems from time to time, but fortunately for the technicians at Resch Auto Service, it’s not too often.
‘Aren’t they a Chevrolet or a Honda or a Dodge?’ Yeah, they’re very picky,” Rogers said. “Parts are hard to find, but many of the big manufacturers partner with other companies, meaning one company can make one part for two different vehicles because they share the same engine or transmission. But I know I’m pretty lucky that I don’t encounter that often.”
Advance Auto Parts’ closure is just one more hurdle the team has to work around, but Resch’s Auto Service is helping customers in crisis if their car breaks down and there’s no place nearby to take it. He says he is more concerned about For repairs.
“Retail customers may not have another auto parts store nearby. If their car breaks down, instead of having to go across town or figure out how to get a car, there’s a parts store that’s really close by. It’s better to have one,” Lesch said. There. “
Resch’s Auto Service says it has already adapted to buying parts locally and will continue to do so after hearing which Advance Auto stores will close. Advance Auto declined further comment.
“There will be some damage, but I don’t think it will disrupt the market significantly,” Rogers said.
He also says his friends in the industry aren’t worried about job security because the industry is always looking for skilled workers.
“The best part is when the work is done and you know it’s safe to go on your way,” Rogers smiled.
