Pep Boys in Natomas is Not Closing — Exactly

The Pep Boys auto service center will continue to operate after Advance Auto Parts Inc. takes over the retail operation. / NatomasBuzz.com Photo

BY BRANDY TUZON BOYD
THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz

It may look like the Pep Boys location in Natomas is closing, but it’s not.

The store on Northgate Boulevard along with locations on Arden Way, Auburn Boulevard and 47th Avenue in Sacramento, and one in Rancho Cordova, are being converted to provide automotive service only under the Pep Boys name.

Advance Auto Parts will be leasing and operating the retail space of 109 Pep Boys stores in California — including those in Sacramento — and converting them to Advance Auto Parts stores over the next nine to 12 months.

In the last week, Sacramento-area Pep Boys locations have been selling down inventory at a discount to make room for the Advance Auto Parts takeover. The Pep Boys location in Rocklin is a service center only and not affected by the change.

“The agreement this year will provide us with an opportunity to refresh our service center locations and reinvest in the market to meet emerging customer needs, particularly as demand for electric vehicle service grows in the region,” said Pep Boys CEO Brian Kaner, in a statement released on March 15, when the agreement with Advance Auto Parts was first made public.

According to Advance Auto Parts, the lease agreement will enhance the auto parts chain’s multichannel approach to sales which include online and brick and mortar stores. The automotive aftermarket parts provider sells to both professional and do-it-yourself customers. As of January 2, 2021, Advance Auto Parts operated 4,806 stores and 170 Worldpac branches in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Founded in 1921, the Pep Boys: Manny, Moe & Jack is an American automotive aftermarket retail and service chain. Pep Boys operates more than 9,000 service bays in approximately 1,000 locations in 35 states and Puerto Rico.