The Rise and Sad Decline of Western Auto | Full History

In this video, we explore the complete history of Western Auto, from its humble beginnings as a small auto parts retailer to its rise as a nationwide chain. Discover how Western Auto became a household name in American towns, selling everything from car parts to bicycles and appliances. We’ll also delve into the factors that led to its sad decline and ultimate disappearance from the retail landscape. Join us as we take a nostalgic journey through the highs and lows of this iconic brand. Don’t miss this in-depth look at the rise and fall of Western Auto!
#memories #retailhistory #nostalgia
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[@Midnightrider1963]

Loved going into Western Auto in the early 70s because they had mini-bikes , go carts and bicycles. Got my purple Western Flyer with banana seat there.

[@timkis64]

i remember in the 60s western auto was the only store around that sold bicycle parts, like tires, bearings, seats & such.nobody else in town carried them.

[@EASTSIDERIDER707]

My mom saved up and bought me a bicycle from Western Auto for me in 1960. Thanks Mom.

[@dimitriberozny3729]

When Sears aquired them in the 1980’s,it lead to their downfall and when Sears sold them to Advance Auto Parts,it was lights out for Western Auto!!

[@danielknepper6884]

@@dimitriberozny3729 that explains why Western Auto had DieHard batteries

[@WilliamOfficeSupply9832]

Private equity crooks.

[@dalemettee1147]

When dad got a newer car, the first thing he did was put seat covers in it. I think that they had a special one week end. Seat covers for under $20 per seat, front and back, installed. So, there we were one morning early get them installed. Quality time with my dad. Loved it. I wondered the store while waiting for the job to get done.

[@mntbikedude]

One of my favorite memories of Western Auto was saving up my money to buy my first transistor radio. My older brother would also save up his money to buy one.

[@libertyjustice2703]

We had a western auto and a gambles store on the same downtown block in the small Nebraska town where I grew up. Things were far better then. I pity kids growing up today. They have no idea what they have missed.

[@esousa486]

I AGREE ......

[@doug595959]

I grew up with coast to coast hardware and gambles in Nebraska

[@davidGomez-vc8ck]

💥So true!..."Today's kids will only have fond memories of their younger days spent on their cellphones." 24/7

[@johnphillips7536]

Don't forget the 'Truetone' line of electronics! There were Truetone-branded radios, clock radios, televisions, record players, car radios, as well as home and car stereos.

[@miker252]

Citation brand appliances. Their Sandblaster tires were popular with off road and dune buggy enthusiasts.

[@MaryStevens-tb2dz]

Our first deep freezer came from Western Auto it was on Main Street in Corbin,KŸ we had it for many years. The store burned down and the city made the site a small park. Miss this store it was a great place to just walk around especially at Christmas time.

[@blackholeentry3489]

I worked for Western Auto for two years in Watsonville, CA, starting in '58 right after graduating from high school. My mother bought one of thier 15 cu ft freezers in '58 and I have NO idea of whatever happened to it. IF you ever watch the movie, "Back to the Future" there is a segment in the early part of the movie which shows a Western Auto store with the old fashioned 'Circle Arrow' displayed...which 'my' store didn't have. There, I changed a lot of tires, auto batteries and seat covers. Startied out $1.10/hr, and when I quit two years later, even although I considered myself to be a much more valuable employee, still made $1.10/hr. They sold a huge amount of bicycles there, and when I wasn't changing auto parts, I was busy assembling bicycles for the "Christmas Rush". My dad ''opended" the door for me, I quit WA and went to work for a place which printed trading stamps..(S&H, Blue Chip, and etc.....Remember those? (What a FAD they turned out to be) A book of 10,000 stamps cost the merchants $100, which was then simply passed on to the customers. For decades, if a store didn't give trading stamps, my mother wouldn't shop there. BHE

[@fulleffort2092]

My first time hearing about this store. It’s nice to hear people’s experiences with it. Seems like it was a cool store.

[@blackholeentry3489]

@@fulleffort2092 It was one of the leaders of the era....started out selling auto parts, but gradually branched into other areas....TV's, appliences and etc. When I worked there in 58 through 60, I bought a sewing machine which still works and is ''In the family". (of course, at the time, most sewing machines were being made in Japan)

[@maryward613]

My dad, born in 1924, worked there for a few years.

[@marcoziervogel6957]

Wow... viewing from Australia what an amazing story

[@PFLOYD-do9kk]

@@marcoziervogel6957 Western Auto also sold guns and ammo, they sold everything

[@drbluzer]

I grew up in Louisville , Kentucky and we had a WESTERN AUTO store at the Iroquois Manor Shopping Center .

[@quad5186]

Our neighbors owned/ran the Western Auto in town. Always got great service, and their son helped me out once with my car in our garage, I wish I could put that hilarious story here, it would be a bit too long for this forum. But thanks for making it pop-up in my memory 😂😂😂

[@terrybane6206]

I grew up shopping at Western Auto. I sure do miss those places. I even purchased fishing gear at Western Auto.

[@pl5624]

In small towns with no other stores western auto had it all...once furniture...auto parts...tire...appliance stores came in western auto was overlooked

[@clarencetrice4442]

😊😊 I still remember western auto parts store 🏬 😊 from when I was a kid over 4O years ago I went there 2 get a many of bike tires and inner tubes and put them on bikes myself 2 ride bikes back then U had dirt roads now they are paved 😊😊 OMG 1O 2O 2O24

[@electrickid101]

In the late 90s they had go cart parts and .22 rifles

[@badad0166]

Interesting how we've evolving back to "mail order".

[@blackscotydog]

Still have my Grandad`s Wizard tool set.

[@miker252]

My family owned a Western Auto Associate store in a small town from 1970 to 1986.

[@rodneyrtennis1279]

I vividly remember my Dad almost living in this store along with K&W Auto. Definitely better day's 🇺🇸

[@randelldavis578]

This is a well done docu-video, I too owned a western flyer bicycle late sixty early seventys. When going down town to shop in those days, the days when department stores were in high rise building's and depending on your needs you had to go to different floors. Mom would say that maybe we can stop at Western auto if we had time. Every now and then I got a chance to get there, being right on the out skirts of down town and in the opposite direction of going home. As I got old enough to go down town with my friends western auto was always on our list of places to go but never before going to the sporting goods first. Lol Thank you for this.

[@metronorthwtrain1452]

@@randelldavis578 I bought my first snow shovel here as a kid mid 70s to shovel others sidewalks to make money. I still have it today. Best built shovel I've ever owned or used.

[@blackholeentry3489]

My very first job at 18, right after graduating from high school in '58, was working at a Western Auto store in the Watsonville, CA store, where I worked for over two years. This store did a huge business in bicycles and auto tires. When I wasn't changing auto tires, seat covers or batteries, I was assembling bicycles for the upcoming Christmas rush, which they had a lay-away system for, and sold over 100 bicycles. People would come into the store, make a $1 payment on 'thier' bicycle. I started out at $1.10/hr, and two years later when I moved on to another job, which paid more than twice as much, I was still making $1.10/hr....although I considered myself to be a much more valuable employee. Now, the entire store has long been torn down with an Ace Hardware store now in its former site. BHE

[@esousa486]

@@metronorthwtrain1452 Those were the "GOOD Ole days" ...... I truly MISS those times, .... World is so "upside down" now !!!

[@bensatterwhite5694]

Western auto had their own brand name Revelation. My first baseball glove was a Revelation from Western Auto. I had a Western Flyer bicycle when I was a kid also. Living in a small town our Western Auto store had things you couldn’t get anywhere else unless you went to to larger city. The town I grew up in still has a Western Auto store. Although the corporation is likely gone, they still use the Western Auto name. It’s been owned by the same family for decades. They are still a great store to have in our area. I’m over 60 and still buy from them and always will.

[@tommystubblefield236]

It was the best of times, for a kid in the 60's . I miss the golden years of time.

[@madmike2624]

Great content my brother!!!!!~

[@WilliamOfficeSupply9832]

In Australia, the structure is called House.

[@bobbg9041]

And thats why replacement windshield wiper blades now cost 26bucks when they used to cost a buck.

[@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe]

Great Bikes! Made in Midwest someplace and it showed!

[@douglaskerr6813]

It sounded like a great store to do business with .Too bad I'm from the Philadelphia area the only auto parts chains I remember were the Pep boys and Penn jersey

[@esousa486]

We had a "Local", simular retail store called Benny's , in Southern New England states ..... It had a little bit of "everything" , and they offered tire changes, repairs, and tire balancing, in most locations ..... They closed in 2021 (i believe....) and they are "missed" by many locals !!

[@kylekauffman7771]

The western auto building in Kansas city has been turned into condos. It's a beautiful building and still has the western auto sign lit!

[@FlorentinoRebuildingCo.5644]

The Western Auto ion Bell, California was my heaven. Around 1984-85. Awesome gun/firearm section......HUGE selection. MAC-10's, Uzi's, Mossberg Automatic Shot guns, "A-Team" real chromed-out Mini-14's, etc. I was a kid and allowed to handle (after being shown by Salesman) these arms....... Don't freak out.......Just another tool if respected and handle correctly.

[@dw8840]

I grew up on the outskirts of Indianapolis in the 1980s and 1990s and don't remember Western Auto. I do remember Sears, K-Mart, Car Quest and there was also a store called Autoworks, I think Advance Auto bought them out.

[@johndonlon1611]

This was a terrific store, sort of a hardware store and auto supply on steroids. It was way more fun for a kid to wander into than a hobby shop. Bikes, skates, even portable TVs and electric guitars--it was a very cool store with stuff any kid with some sort of job could afford. Their ad flyers were filled with neat stuff; all priced to move. Always smelled like oil and new tires. I miss it.

[@lindaangus2307]

I got my first 2-wheel, Western Flyer there!

[@kennethbrown5784]

I have not been in a auto parts store in years parts online are so much cheaper and shows up to your door

[@richarddawdy8488]

Was just thinking about Western Auto the other day.

[@lupetorres86]

God we get it. This video could have been half as long and double popular. You keep repeating yourself and saying the obvious through the pictures. You got a great concept. Just clean it up and stop tell it like Grandpa Simpson.

[@advjoe2]

My Mother worked at one in the mid 40s in Detroit, MI.

[@cindys1819]

In NY City and the surrounding areas we had Strauss Stores which was THE powerhouse chain or sort of spin offs like PEP Boys. Later in the 80's and 90's we got Auto Zone and Advanced Auto Parts.

[@jenbill]

In the 60s it was the biggest store in my little town took up half a block bought my first baseball glove there and was the place to go for bicycle parts that were in constant need due to building and jumping off ramps for neighborhood bragging rights lol

[@kevinpilotte8738]

Good video. Being that Advance Auto parts eventually took over Western Auto, it would have been nice to see an Advance Auto Parts store in the video instead of an Auto Zone parts store who is the major competitor of Advance Auto Parts.

[@AMCMag]

Many local stores, at least in the southeast, still use the Western Auto name. In central South Carolina the two stores I know of (Batesburg-Leesville and Prosperity) are mainly lawn mower/lawn product sales/parts/repair stores/shops. They carry some other good, but that is their main focus. From Wikipedia: "Dealer stores were permitted by Advance Auto Parts a license to use the Western Auto name until 2006. After 2006, stores were to cease using the Western Auto name, but many stores continue to use the name. At this time, no storefront is licensed to use the name Western Auto or fly the Western Auto sign. Advance Auto Parts remains the owner of the registered trademarks and name "Western Auto" and enforces infringements on the name, but it is unknown if they have future plans for the name. Advance also owns the name Western Auto Supply Company which is registered in Virginia." This licensing may have been continued, or Advance is just tolerant of the continued use of the name as long as the stores aren't competing with Advance (not selling auto parts). Don't know the answer, but these stores are still operating as "Western Auto Associate Stores" and using the Western Auto signs that have been up since the 70s at these same locations.

[@johnwatson2952]

When i was a kid ,we had about an acre of land it had a house and a small barn. The rest was grass we cut with a 22 inch push mower. I told my mom the first thing im gonna buy when i get a job is a riding mower. In 1974 i bought a 8 hp 38 iin. WIZARD MOWER for 500 dollars at WESTERN AUTO in Trussville Alabama right on Main Street. MAN. I thought i had it made then. Used that mower for a long time cut a lot of grass. The old mower is gone now so is WESTERN AUTO

[@islandvoyager7061]

Used to buy a "brick" of 22cal. for 5 bucks. Gone are those days.

[@kevinbeck6419]

They still have one in Newport tn

[@JCrow-kz4nw]

Western Auto had a certain smell that I just loved. Sort of like intense hardware store mixed with tires? 😂

[@jamessantagati4999]

Bruce Springsteen's mother bought his first "real" guitar for him at Western Auto for Christmas. The rest is history.

[@krazyj1957]

We still have a Western Auto.

[@lupetorres86]

Liar

[@fredthegraycatt]

I would still have my father’s 3/8 inch chuck Wizard electric drill had it not been stolen.

[@darrelkinney9856]

Interesting, I’ve got a bicycle and a home stereo system since the 70s , we had western auto carquest auto Now advance auto Napa , auto zone, o’reileys auto parts . Sears gone Kmart Roses , gone. Basically left with Walmart , no personality or.

[@Flirken2975]

I miss the western auto in Amarillo,Tx Great memories.

[@WilliamOfficeSupply9832]

Deliver to their Houses.

[@robertmartinez4174]

but The Western Flier was also a series of Red Wagon's.

[@bobbg9041]

I live in kansas city, a few years ago I went to a garage sale, the ladies husband had past he was a purchasing agent for western auto for most his adult life. She had a big collection of Trucking company ball caps and western auto trinkets she was selling, but said she had tons more. I got all kinds of keepsake logo stuff spent all my cash. Most of the American business have closed years ago. During most of this time Republicans have ran congress.

[@bobbg9041]

WALMART HAS 0 SERVICE AND NO CAR PARTS.

[@esousa486]

Walmart Super centers have Auto tire/Lube service bays, in some locations ...... 2 near me in the Northeast

[@meatballmagoo6134]

Western Auto Revelation 760 BB gun 10 pump 🤠

[@joshua646646]

11:13 This is an Auto Zone store🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

[@miker252]

Yeah, I saw that. The color scheme is like similar to the one Western Auto pushed to their associate store owners, updating their appearance in the early 1980s.

[@bobbg9041]

Had, wards, sears westren auto not closed and lasted 20 to 30 years longer because of the catalog departments and mail order Amazon would not be where americans shop today. Fact. Those 3 brands had the infutructute in place to beat Amazon down.

[@JD-hh9io]

I think they sold Wizard boat motors too.

[@bextar6365]

Another 2 auto stores that no longer exist... BLUE STAR and FIRSEONE !

[@dimitriberozny3729]

Benny’s was a copycat of Western Auto which was located in Southern New England in Rhode Island,Massachusetts and Connecticut. Benny’s also closed in 2017 when the owners retired.

[@PaulMyers-q1m]

When Made in USA were good now if go to a auto store s lot in made in China

[@scottrobertson5639]

Amazing that sears destroyed 3 brands

[@generator6946]

Golly! We got it good today! Now we have the vast power of China! Never has so much money bought so little quality!

[@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe]

Competant, Professional Staff. Anti Meglomart Ethos. Public partiallty to Blame! For their Demise.

[@Lisa1111]

Amazon ate everyone. 😝

[@bennetfox]

Walmart did it first.

[@thomasbrower305]

No necessarily. There aren't many shade tree mechanics left. Everything on cars is electronic these days. Plus schools no longer have shop classes any more, so no one has the opportunity to learn how to fix what they can fix.

[@dw8840]

​@thomasbrower305 plus you need expensive sophisticated tools to repair some newer cars now. Not like in the 1960s when a basic screwdriver and socket wrench set were all you needed.

[@esousa486]

@@thomasbrower305 I agree, .... But I am lucky that my best friend happens to do a car repair/welding business, locally .... and folks can TRUST him, completely !!!

[@bobbg9041]

This is funny, the Radio Flyer red wagon holds more memories then the bikes do but you say almost nothing about them. Who hasn't said little red wagon at least once in there lifetime?

[@henryechezabal758]

EVERY Western Auto had that overwhelming smell of vulcanized rubber that hit you as you walked in! No place ever smelled like it. They should have bottled it, and sold it as a mirror ornament! 😂

[@lupetorres86]

And what's with you and the bikes ?

[@larrywilkerson9987]

This repeats the same information over and over give the same info over and over

[@alannorman6402]

It’s $15 not 15$!

[@wwitt1963]

Less than 5 minutes and I’m on my 2nd set of commercials, I’m done.