Bob Ulrich

Editor

Bob Ulrich was named Modern Tire Dealer editor in August 2000. He joined the magazine in 1985 as assistant editor, and has been responsible for gathering statistical information for MTD's "Facts Issue" since 1993. He has won numerous awards for editorial and feature writing, including five gold medals from the International Automotive Media Association. Bob earned a B.A. in English literature from Ohio Northern University and has a law degree from the University of Akron.

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Pep Boys closes in on 7,000 service bays

By: Bob Ulrich

Manny, Moe and Jack, also known as the Pep Boys, are hunting for tire and service dealerships. And they don't appear to be putting a gun to anyone's head.

In the last two months, Pep Boys has added 91 stores through acquisitions. In May, it purchased New Big 10 Tire Stores Inc. -- the seventh largest independent tire dealer chain in the United States, according to The Modern Tire Dealer 100 list -- and its 83 stores in the Southeast.

In July, the company  purchased seven My Mechanic full-service outlets in the Houston, Texas, area. All seven locations will offer Pep Boys’ full range of automotive maintenance and repair services and brand name tires. "Our third acquisition this year furthers our stated strategy to grow through service and tire centers,” says Pep Boys CEO and President Mike Odell.

So with half a year left, Pep Boys already has met its fiscal year 2011 (ending Jan. 31, 2012) goal of opening 50 service and tire centers (that's how Pep Boys refers to them). They aren't taking the rest of the year off, either.

The new California Tire Dealers Association was one of the guests of honor at a recent event sponsored by Billy Eordekian, president of 1-800EveryRim.com, in Pico Rivera, Calif. (Check out our Facebook page for more information.) Pep Boys representatives were in attendance -- and admittedly looking for acquisition opportunities.

In its fiscal year 2010, Pep Boys opened 28 service and tire centers, which gave the automotive parts chain more than 620 locations (including Pep Boys Supercenters) and 6,200 service bays in 35 states and Puerto Rico. That was up from the previous year. Now it has 721 locations.

It looks like Pep Boys is accelerating its growth curve.

Related Topics: Big 10, Billy Eordekian, Mike Odell, MTD 100, Pep Boys