> Often the NAPA store is the oldest in town. It's in an ancient
building
>that hasn't been remodeled in 30 years, but it's a wealth of
information in
>those back aisles. They have really ramped up to get modernized in
>appearance, but there's no replacing of experience. The average age of
a
>NAPA Parts person is 40. Other national chain stores... more like 22.
>
Our current store was originally built in 1961 but its been renovated
several times and it doesn't look very ancient on the outside. We've
got all the newest logos and stuff but all the countermen are the same.
In my store the youngest ppl are my parents who are 50, unless i'm
there. Everyone else is bumping retirement and several were original
employees when the building was opened. I guarantee my dad's secretary
knows more about cars then any average guy at autozone.
>
>>The
>>computer is great for looking up common stuff. Like a oil filter for
>>ford 302.
>
> Easy. Napa FIL #1515. Or SFI #21515 if you go for the old economy
>Silverline brand. Still see some of those floating about.
>
Correct, a 1515 is the right filter, I was using the 302 as an example.
No real counterman would actually look that up. SFI filters were phased
out years ago and replaced with the NAPA Silver line while the regular
NAPA filters are called gold. They're both made by WIX to NAPA
standards.
>
>>I can type the commands to look that up faster than the
>>computer can display the menus.
>
> Same here. 'Course our server (which when I just visited them last
week
>was still in use... due to be upgraded in April when TAMS won't support
it
>anymore) was a 486 SX20. Heh.. no wonder it was slow back then.
>
Heh we used to have that one. We've got a nice new Pentium sever now.
Quite fast.
>pretty much lived on the 1974-older Echlin catalog. And the
illustrated
The echlin picture book is the best book in the world. They don't make
it anymore and if you can find one you're in luck. We have 3 left i
think. One for use and 2 in storage.
> Ack! I left NAPA (and retail) over a decade ago! And still I keep
going
>back again and again.
I officially stopped working at ours a couple of summer's ago. But I
keep going back because I'd be disowned if I go anywhere else.
>-Dan Canaan (Store #109, Auburn, WA)
>
Ryan Smith (Store #400, Richmond DC, South Boston VA)
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