PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Pep Boys is celebrating its 20th anniversary in serving the residents of Puerto Rico.
The official date was July 17, 1995, when Pep Boys entered the Puerto Rico automotive aftermarket. At that time, the island touted 4 million residents and 2 million cars, as well as a large population of do-it-yourselfers and backyard mechanics.
Pep Boys met the demand for high-quality automotive parts and accessories, and went on to open Fleet operations (1997) and the Pep Express Parts business (1998). As of August 2014, Speed Shops, a store-within-a-store catering to car enthusiasts in supplying all they’ll need in performance, have been opened in Bayamon, Carolina, Hatillo, Humacao, Mayaguez and Ponce. Puerto Rico hosts 23 Pep Boys Supercenters (service and retail) and four Express (retail only) stores located in strip malls or freestanding buildings around the island.
From the beginning, Pep Boys made it a priority to establish a presence on the island that leveraged home-grown talent and culture. Native islanders work at all locations in all positions ranging from cashiers to master technicians, the company said.
“By nature, our people are very friendly, committed and take a lot of pride in their work,” stated Ralph Quintana, regional vice president – Puerto Rico, Pep Boys. “Our philosophy has been to train and prepare our management staff in order to promote within, which has helped to develop and sustain a solid team in each store.”
The company has also customized the product mix in stores to accommodate the tropical climate and provide motorists with exactly what they need for their cars.
“Pep Boys has enjoyed an extremely prosperous and rewarding 20 years in Puerto Rico,” added Quintana. “I would like to thank our wonderful associates for taking good care of our customers, and our customers for being loyal supporters of Pep Boys on the island. We are excited to celebrate this milestone anniversary and look forward to many more years of being the best place to shop and care for your car.”
