Astoria Automotive Supply under new ownership
Published 4:00 pm Sunday, January 31, 2010
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The couple bought the business when former owners Dave and Karen Johnson retired last year; the Johnsons had owned the store since the early 1980s.
The Hesses are very familiar with the auto parts business: They own seven NAPA auto parts stores around the region, including Astoria. Other stores are located in Kelso, Wash., Forest Grove, Aloha, Hillsboro, St. Helens and Scappoose, Ore.
Barry Hess said adding the Astoria store to the mix was part of the couple’s long-term strategy.
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“It’s hard not to continue to expand,” he said. “In this economy, you either have to grow or die. To continue to attract good people we have to continue to look for opportunities.”
While all of the Hess’s stores are NAPA parts dealers, the company is not a franchise, Hess said. Instead, storeowners carry a certain percentage of NAPA parts inventory in exchange for promotion materials and other supplies.
“It’s more like a buying group,” he said.
Upgrades are already underway on the premises, and staff members have redone the sales area and are working on reorganizing the stock area in back.
“We’ll add another 50 or 60 percent inventory over what’s already there,” Hess said. Other plans include eventually expanding hours of operation.
While some things have changed, others remain the same.
“We’ve hired some new employees but retained the people that were there,” he said. “Their manager is now our manager.”
Hess praised the existing staff for their commitment to customer service.
“It’s a very good crew and they’re doing a great job,” he said. “They’re very knowledgeable people.”