NAPA Auto Parts, located on Grand Avenue in Ewing, specializes in retail and wholesale parts for cars, trucks, boats and small engines such as lawn mowers and weed whackers.
Formed in 1925 at the dawn of the automotive industry, NAPA, short for National Automotive Parts Association, is a group of independent auto parts sellers.
“Way back in the day, NAPA was specializing with agriculture farmer parts place. As time went by, they started to get involved with cars and light trucks, tractor trailers, boats, small engines, you name it, NAPA can supply it,” said Manager Kevin McHugh.
Located near the Trenton-Mercer Airport and the West Trenton train station, the West Trenton location opened in 1980. McHugh began working for NAPA in 1986, starting as a driver at the location. He learned how to use the catalogues to look up the necessary auto parts for customers, worked at the counter, and then as an outside salesman, moving from West Trenton to Morrisville to Newtown, and “up and down the Northeast Corridor,” McHugh said. “I worked my way up to where I am today.”
At NAPA, the drivers are more than people who deliver auto parts. “They are the first line the customers get to see and get a feel for what the NAPA store is like. They are more important than a delivery driver because they are out there with the customers every day. They are the eyes and ears of the store. They let me know if there is anything I need to address with our customers,” McHugh said.
“NAPA always prides itself in quality. They were nationally known for their quality parts, but always being a little more pricey. Now things are different. We are just as competitive as other auto part stores and the dealers.” he said.
McHugh said he has seen a lot of changes in the industry since he began with NAPA 27 years ago.
“When I got in this business in the 1980s it was booming,” McHugh said. “You didn’t have that many parts stores around. There were ‘mom and pop stores’ and we worked together. There were the Big Three [automobile companies] Chevy, Ford, Chrysler, then maybe Honda and Toyota on the foreign car side.” Now there are many different makes and models of cars. NAPA continues to “carry for almost anything – domestic and foreign.
NAPA is strictly an auto parts store; they do not do any repairs. They have engine parts, chassis parts, air and oil filtration, and all types of chemicals, including adhesive. They also mix Martin Senour auto paint and make hydraulic hoses.
NAPA recently added the NAPA Tool Center to each of their 6,000 locations. “About a month ago they took a corner of the store, painted it, and dedicated it to large tool boxes, power washers and other types of tools,” McHugh said. “NAPA has been involved with tools since day one.” They sell Carlyle tools. In honor of Father’s Day, NAPA is holing its annual sale on tools this month.
“We carry RV products for motor homes, and trailers for boats, plus bearings and replacement parts for stuff,” McHugh said.
Napa Auto Parts, 443 Grand Avenue. Phone: (609) 883-0220. Online: napaonline.com/napa/en. Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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