Crap!

[Camino LS6]

My local NAPA is gone!

Just shut down without warning.

Now the closest one is more than twice as far away.

I'm so tired of living where no one does anything for themselves, all of the good supply stores are gone. Hardware, plumbing, auto, electric, lumber...

[David]

BUMMER, Napa gone is not good, they are the best auto parts store around.

Where do you live that it seems like a hillbilly step from society. I can understand that in a low population town, it is hard to keep doors open. Still sucks that they cannot seem to find a way to keep basic needs like this open.

[Camino LS6]

BUMMER, Napa gone is not good, they are the best auto parts store around.

Where do you live that it seems like a hillbilly step from society. I can understand that in a low population town, it is hard to keep doors open. Still sucks that they cannot seem to find a way to keep basic needs like this open.

I'd be better off in a "hillbilly" town, they do things for themselves. Around here, people just go to the dealer for service, or buy a new car. Lots of money and "professionals" around here, but not much willingness to DIY anything.

And most couldn't if they were willing.

Edited October 2, 2012 by Camino LS6

[Robert Hall]

Well, if there is reduced demand for the product, then NAPA probably couldn't profitably keep the store open. Stores come, stores go..

[Camino LS6]

Well, if there is reduced demand for the product, then NAPA probably couldn't profitably keep the store open. Stores come, stores go..

I don't think that was a problem - this place was always busy. You can see three independent repair shops while standing in the store.

I think it was a consolidation, same guy owns the NAPA franchise that's in a better building a few towns away.

[Robert Hall]

Well, if there is reduced demand for the product, then NAPA probably couldn't profitably keep the store open. Stores come, stores go..

I don't think that was a problem - this place was always busy. You can see three independent repair shops while standing in the store.

I think it was a consolidation, same guy owns the NAPA franchise that's in a better building a few towns away.

That's going to be a pain for the repair shops... I'm lucky in my area--the independent shop that I frequent has an O'Reilly next door..

[David]

Well, if there is reduced demand for the product, then NAPA probably couldn't profitably keep the store open. Stores come, stores go..

I don't think that was a problem - this place was always busy. You can see three independent repair shops while standing in the store.

I think it was a consolidation, same guy owns the NAPA franchise that's in a better building a few towns away.

That's going to be a pain for the repair shops... I'm lucky in my area--the independent shop that I frequent has an O'Reilly next door..

OUCH, you know before they were O'Reilly's they are known as Shucks. Shucks I got the wrong part, Shucks I should have bought from Napa or OEM. I have not had good experiences with that chain unless I could pick out the product myself.

[Robert Hall]

Well, if there is reduced demand for the product, then NAPA probably couldn't profitably keep the store open. Stores come, stores go..

I don't think that was a problem - this place was always busy. You can see three independent repair shops while standing in the store.

I think it was a consolidation, same guy owns the NAPA franchise that's in a better building a few towns away.

That's going to be a pain for the repair shops... I'm lucky in my area--the independent shop that I frequent has an O'Reilly next door..

OUCH, you know before they were O'Reilly's they are known as Shucks. Shucks I got the wrong part, Shucks I should have bought from Napa or OEM. I have not had good experiences with that chain unless I could pick out the product myself.

They were Checkers before here...

[David]

Well, if there is reduced demand for the product, then NAPA probably couldn't profitably keep the store open. Stores come, stores go..

I don't think that was a problem - this place was always busy. You can see three independent repair shops while standing in the store.

I think it was a consolidation, same guy owns the NAPA franchise that's in a better building a few towns away.

That's going to be a pain for the repair shops... I'm lucky in my area--the independent shop that I frequent has an O'Reilly next door..

OUCH, you know before they were O'Reilly's they are known as Shucks. Shucks I got the wrong part, Shucks I should have bought from Napa or OEM. I have not had good experiences with that chain unless I could pick out the product myself.

They were Checkers before here...

Yea same chain of muck, I know they have some good stuff, but then it boils down to how good is the manager and their training of the employees.

[Robert Hall]

They were Checkers before here...

Yea same chain of muck, I know they have some good stuff, but then it boils down to how good is the manager and their training of the employees.

Yeah, about the only thing I've bought from them is air filters, batteries, and seat covers. O'Reily has a corporate office (formerly CSK's corporate HQ) down the street from my house, and the consulting firm I work for has O'Reilly as a client and I've heard horror stories about the people that work in IT for them, so I can only imagine how it is at the floor level...

[A Horse With No Name]

NAPA gone is not good....

[Camino LS6]

NAPA and Pep Boys is all that there is around here - nothing else.

[A Horse With No Name]

...and I pretty much hate Pep Boys, so it would be NAPA for me....

[Camino LS6]

At least the other store is still open - just a lot longer drive to get there now.

Used to be that I had half a dozen or more places to choose from.

That ain't progress.

[A Horse With No Name]

No its not....

[David]

At least the other store is still open - just a lot longer drive to get there now.

Used to be that I had half a dozen or more places to choose from.

That ain't progress.

What you do not like the Monopoly approach to having choice?

I agree I would always take NAPA over Pep Boys. Pep Boys is like AMX, you can leave home with out it and not bother ever using it.

[balthazar]

The Pep Boys near me went way downhill. They used to have a decent selection of Grade 5/8 hardware, but then they ditched it. I see plenty of neon wiper blades covers & floor mats, tho.

There were 2 NAPAs near me, the one did close, the other is in a major urban area 10 minutes away- they're still rolling along.

Also have the AA & AZ twins, plus a National, a couple auto body supply houses, a Peskoe (dont kno if thats a chain or not), a Strauss, a Fastenal outlet, a truck parts supplier, jeez... quite a bit it seems.

[Intrepidation]

BUMMER, Napa gone is not good, they are the best auto parts store around.

Where do you live that it seems like a hillbilly step from society. I can understand that in a low population town, it is hard to keep doors open. Still sucks that they cannot seem to find a way to keep basic needs like this open.

I'd be better off in a "hillbilly" town, they do things for themselves. Around here, people just go to the dealer for service, or buy a new car. Lots of money and "professionals" around here, but not much willingness to DIY anything.

And most couldn't if they were willing.

By "do things for themselves", you of course mean 7/10 people Jerry-rigging the repairs, using the cheapest, lowest quality parts possible, with 1-2/10 not having a clue what they are doing. When they think its ok to replace steel brake line with rubber fuel hose, well you they the Darwin award and I fear for my car's safety sharing the road with morons like them.

The Napa closed because of profitability issues for one reason or another, that's what it boiled down to.

I like Napa because that's the only place that carries Zerex G-05 antiftreeze, and their premium rotors are painted on the areas that would normally rust. Closest one to me is 30-40 minutes away.

[A Horse With No Name]

I used to work at auto zone part time, DF you are right about people jerry rigging repairs on cars....

[Camino LS6]

BUMMER, Napa gone is not good, they are the best auto parts store around.

Where do you live that it seems like a hillbilly step from society. I can understand that in a low population town, it is hard to keep doors open. Still sucks that they cannot seem to find a way to keep basic needs like this open.

I'd be better off in a "hillbilly" town, they do things for themselves. Around here, people just go to the dealer for service, or buy a new car. Lots of money and "professionals" around here, but not much willingness to DIY anything.

And most couldn't if they were willing.

By "do things for themselves", you of course mean 7/10 people Jerry-rigging the repairs, using the cheapest, lowest quality parts possible, with 1-2/10 not having a clue what they are doing. When they think its ok to replace steel brake line with rubber fuel hose, well you they the Darwin award and I fear for my car's safety sharing the road with morons like them.

The Napa closed because of profitability issues for one reason or another, that's what it boiled down to.

I like Napa because that's the only place that carries Zerex G-05 antiftreeze, and their premium rotors are painted on the areas that would normally rust. Closest one to me is 30-40 minutes away.

Not really. What I meant was just what I said - people around here don't do anything for themselves, they hire someone to do it for them.

I'll get the real story on why the closure happened, but I think it was due to the landlord wanting to develop the property. The current building is old and crappy, and next to a vacant lot, with a "build to suit" sign on it.

The businesses that served the DIY crowd (and the contractors) have all but been driven out around here. It's a social reality I don't much care for.

[David]

I wonder how much of business closure is due to the burden of taxes on small businesses? Washington state has a repressive B&O tax (Business & Occupation tax) So even if you cannot afford to pay your self and still have sales, you have to pay a tax on the gross sales to the state. So while we only have a sales tax in this state, businesses that are trying to get going have to pay a tax just for being a business even if you do not have a profit to pay yourself yet.

Very sad and sucky state of affairs. This is a critical point in our current elections for washington state as many small businesses are closing down due to this burden.

How does a state expect to have you pay a tax if you cannot even pay yourself in the early stages of getting a business started.

I can understand wanting to redevelop a site and hopefully if the NAPA was profitable or break even the owner will consider coming back once the new building is in place.

[Camino LS6]

The big problem around here is real estate values - land is simply worth too much for small businesses to afford. And, because the land values are high, so are the taxes on it.

Modest businesses and modest homes disappear as a result - the area is becoming a ghetto of McMansions and office buildings as a result.

[David]

The big problem around here is real estate values - land is simply worth too much for small businesses to afford. And, because the land values are high, so are the taxes on it.

Modest businesses and modest homes disappear as a result - the area is becoming a ghetto of McMansions and office buildings as a result.

Sad state of affairs.

[Robert Hall]

The big problem around here is real estate values - land is simply worth too much for small businesses to afford. And, because the land values are high, so are the taxes on it.

Modest businesses and modest homes disappear as a result - the area is becoming a ghetto of McMansions and office buildings as a result.

If there isn't a glut of existing empty office space, more office buildings usually lead to more jobs..that's a good thing.

[Camino LS6]

The big problem around here is real estate values - land is simply worth too much for small businesses to afford. And, because the land values are high, so are the taxes on it.

Modest businesses and modest homes disappear as a result - the area is becoming a ghetto of McMansions and office buildings as a result.

If there isn't a glut of existing empty office space, more office buildings usually lead to more jobs..that's a good thing.

Not really a jobs issue here. This is a long-term trajectory that has existed through all economic conditions - it is the inexorable advance of suburban sprawl. In my lifetime so far, the "front" between rural farmland and suburbia has moved a minimum of 30-50 miles outward. What has always been suburban has become a cannibalizing turnover from a very mixed-income, varied occupation, type of population to an increasingly homogeneous swath of high-end residential use (McMansions). Very service-economy centered in a way, but increasingly, anyone performing those services can't afford to live here. I don't see much positive in that.

[A Horse With No Name]

The big problem around here is real estate values - land is simply worth too much for small businesses to afford. And, because the land values are high, so are the taxes on it.

Modest businesses and modest homes disappear as a result - the area is becoming a ghetto of McMansions and office buildings as a result.

Sad state of affairs.

Which just sucks,. nice older homes torn down to build McMansions....ugh.....