The Super Stores: O’Reilly Holds Onto Second Place In Store Counts

The Super Stores: O’Reilly Holds Onto Second Place In Store Counts

Every year, Counterman magazine provides an overview of the super stores serving the automotive aftermarket. To be part of the list, a chain must have 50 or more stores.

By Counterman Staff

2011 marked another year of growth for retail in the automotive aftermarket.

The top three chains — AutoZone, O’Reilly and Advance Auto Parts — all increased their numbers of stores, with O’Reilly experiencing the most growth. In 2011, O’Reilly opened 170 net new stores, meeting a goal company executives had set for the year.

O’Reilly now employs more than 49,000 people. The company has opened stores in close proximity to both AutoZone and Advance. July 11, 2011 marked the third anniversary of the O’Reilly acquisition of CSK and the company says it is in the final stages of transforming all former CSK stores into the O’Reilly branding. That includes exterior and interior decor and signage. The company also added more than 2,000 employees last year.

Some facts of note:

●The No. 1 chain in size, AutoZone, grew to 4,813 stores, including 279 locations in Mexico.

●During 2011, Advance announced it had launched home delivery service for DIYers as a test in Fort Myers, Fla., and Houston.

●All chains serve commercial customers to a varying degree in comparison to retail customers. For example, 41 percent of O’Reilly customers are commercial, versus AutoZone, at 12 percent.

●In January, Pep Boys announced that it entered into an agreement with the The Gores Group, an investment firm, to take it from a publicly traded company to a private one. The value of the transaction was set at $1 billion.

1. Autozone
Program Group Affiliation: none
Store Count: 4,813 (with 279 in Mexico)
DC Count: 9
Private/Public Ownership: NYSE – AZO
Wholesale vs DIY:
12% commercial/83% retail,
other 5%
Private Label: Duralast
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: opened 213; closed three stores

2. O’Reilly Auto Parts
Program Group Affiliation: Parts City
Store Count: 3,740
DC Count: 23
Private/Public Ownership: Nasdaq: ORLY
Wholesale vs DIY:
41% commercial/59% retail
Private Label: Several exclusive to O’Reilly
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: opened 170

3. Advance Auto Parts
Program Group Affiliation: none
Store Count: 3,645
DC Count: 8
Private/Public Ownership:
NYSE — AAP
Wholesale vs DIY:
37% commercial/63% retail
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: opened 59 stores, including 38 Autopart International stores; closed 29 stores
*As of Oct. 8, 2011

4. General Parts Inc.
Program Group Affiliation:
CARQUEST
Store Count: 1,400*
DC Count: 37*
Private/Public Ownership: Private
Wholesale vs DIY:
85% commercial/15% retail*
Private Label: CARQUEST
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: none*
States Served: All except AK, NV

5. Genuine Parts Co.
Program Group Affiliation: NAPA
Store Count: 950*
DC Count: 58*
Private/Public Ownership:
NYSE — GPC
Wholesale vs DIY:
75% commercial/25% retail
Private Label: NAPA
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: 
Closed 50
States Served: All 50 states

6. Pep Boys
Program Group Affiliation: None
Store Count: 630*
DC Count: 10
Private/Public Ownership:
NYSE — PBY
Wholesale vs DIY:
40% commercial/60% retail
Store Count Changes vs. 2011:
opened 25
*Being acquired by the Gores Group
States Served: AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NV, NC, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA
*As of April 2011

7. Auto Plus/Uni-Select
Program Group Affiliation: Uni-Select
Store Count: 300 Auto Plus (plus 160 FinishMaster locations acquired in 2011)
DC Count: 25
Private/Public Ownership: TSX – UNS
Wholesale vs DIY:
75% commercial/25% retail
Private Label: Auto Plus, FinishMaster
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: 192
States Served: CO, CT, DE, GA, IA, IND, MA, MD, MN, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA

8. Fisher APW
Program Group Affiliation: Federated
Store Count: 388
DC Count: 15
Private/Public Ownership: Private
Wholesale vs DIY: primarily
wholesale
Private Label: Federated
Store Count Changes vs. 2011:
Opened/Acquired 22 locations, opened new DC
States Served: DE, IL, KY, MA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NH, NY, OH, PA, RI, TN, VA, VT, WV

9. Replacement Parts Inc.
Program Group Affiliation:
Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance
Store Count: 160*
DC Count: 3*
Private/Public Ownership: Private, 15% ESOP
Wholesale vs DIY:
70% commercial/30% retail
Private Label: PartsMaster
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: none*
States Served: AR, LA, MO, MS, OK, TX

10. Auto-Wares Store Group
Program Group Affiliation:
Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance
Store Count: 144
DC Count: 10
Private/Public Ownership: private
Wholesale vs DIY:
70% commercial/ 30% retail
Private Label: PartsMaster
Store Count Changes vs. 2011:
States Served: MI, OH, IN, IL, WI

11. BWP Distributors Inc.
Program Group Affiliation:
CARQUEST
Store Count: 125
DC Count: 3
Private/Public Ownership: private
Wholesale vs DIY:
85% commercial/15% retail
Private Label: CARQUEST
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: none
States Served: VT, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD

12. Hahn Automotive
Program Group Affiliation:
Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance
Store Count: 78
DC Count: 33
Private/Public Ownership: private
Wholesale vs DIY:
80% commercial/20% retail
Private Label: PartsMaster
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: none
States Served: NY, MD, VA, NC, OH, IN

13. Automotive Parts Headquarters
Program Group Affiliation: Alliance
Store Count: 77
DC Count: 1
Private/Public Ownership: private
Wholesale vs DIY:
70% commercial/30% retail
Private Label: PartsMaster
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: one new store opened in 2011
States Served: MN, WI, ND, MI

14. KOI
Program Group Affiliation: Federated
Store Count: 75
DC Count: 6
Private/Public Ownership:
employee owned
Wholesale vs DIY:
80% commercial/20% retail
Private Label: Federated
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: none
States Served: KY, OH, IN, WV

15. VIP Parts, Tires &
Service
Program Group Affiliation: Pronto
Store Count: 56
DC Count: 1
Private/Public Ownership: Private
Wholesale vs DIY:
10% commercial/90% retail
Private Label: none
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: one store closed
States Served: ME, NH, MA

16. Strauss Auto
Program Group Affiliation: none
Store Count: 54
DC Count: 1
Private/Public Ownership: Private
Wholesale vs DIY: 95% retail/5% commercial
Private Label: Strauss Auto
Store Count Changes vs. 2011:
closed six stores
States Served: NY, NJ, PA

17. Merrill Co/Arnold Motor Supply
Program Group Affiliation:
Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance
Store Count: 52
DC Count: 2
Private/Public Ownership:
Partnership
Wholesale vs DIY:
80% commercial/20% retail
Private Label: PartsMaster
Store Count Changes vs. 2011: none
States Served: IA, MN, NE, IL, MO
*Denotes information based on available 2011 data­

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