Renton, Wash.--Founded in 1972 by Ernie Heinz, Highland East Auto Parts has been a family operation for 37 years, said Byron Frazier, current owner and Heinz’ stepson.
Heinz, who died in 2006, had been in the restaurant and construction business, but knew little about auto parts, Frazier said. Heinz originally aligned with the former General Automotive Warehouse (GAW) in Seattle as a supplier of parts, purchased the property the store is on, and constructed a 5,000-square-foot building with parking on three sides, he said.
Frazier, who started working at Highland East in 1975, said that over the following years, there were five auto parts stores that Heinz and the family were involved with, from Issaquah to West Seattle. “They were either sold or closed and the focus remained on Highland East and its growth.”
Frazier said his brother, Mike Frazier, now retired, was involved in the stores for many years.
Suppliers and products have changed over the years, Frazier said, but the longtime store has stayed focused with balanced retail and wholesale sales, a full-service machine shop, and a strong desire by the owner to remain an independent operation.
“We have always had wholesale business and service those accounts well, but the retail parts have always been the bulk of our business,” he said. “Wholesale sales have dropped a bit in recent years, but it’s still an important part of our business.”
“Today it represents about 30 percent of our business and we deliver throughout the Renton, Newcastle, and Issaquah areas,” he said.
“We’re really in the people business because folks can buy parts a lot of places and we certainly compete with other retailers. Our advantage is that we have a great staff with tremendous knowledge and expertise and we’re fair to our customers, whether retail or wholesale.”
The staff at the store includes many auto parts industry veterans, including the store Manager Adam Fisher and part-time Counterman Gordy Elder, who was a longtime co-owner of the former Auto Parts Distributing in Seattle, a warehouse distributor, Frazier said.
In total, there are 13 employees, including six counter people, three drivers, three machine shop employees, and a part-time outside sales rep, Brad Elder, Frazier said. Margaret Dunn, who headed up the former Piston Service coop jobber group for many years, also serves as a bookkeeper for the firm, he said.
Much of the store’s success over the years, Frazier said, is not only due to having experienced and dedicated employees but viable suppliers too.
“We’ve had Performance Warehouse (PW) as a major parts supplier for years, and it was a good choice for us,” he said. “You need a good supplier to be successful, and we like the Auto Value program.”
Coordinating the right mix of parts for its retail and wholesale customers while controlling the overall parts inventory, is a constant challenge for the parts store, Frazier said.
“There are a lot more parts today than when I started in 1975, so inventory control and balancing our customer’s needs is a daily task,” he said. “We’re linked with PW’s computer and get twice-a-day stock orders plus we are always updating lines to have the right inventory mix on hand.”
About 1,000 square feet of the store’s space is dedicated to the machine shop, Frazier said.
Located on the lower level of the building, with its own entrance, he said the shop provides a wide array of machining services and is managed by Bill Cormier, a 10-year employee at Highland East.
“It represents about 8 percent of our overall business but it brings us both retail and wholesale customers,” he said. “There are very few stores with machine shops remaining in the greater Seattle area, so it’s an important part of our service.”
While business at the parts store was flat in 2008, Frazier said that in recent months, it has improved substantially, and he has a positive view of the future. He said the independent parts business will remain viable because it offers distinct advantages over other parts retailers.
“Competition makes you better, and we understand that,” he said.
“A healthy new-car market is vital for our success because it affects manufacturers who sell to both OE and the aftermarket,” he said.” Having a solid fill rate on parts is essential to serving customers’ needs.”
“Fuel and raw material costs were major factors in 2008 and affected the aftermarket negatively,” Frazier said. In today’s market, he said, parts stores have to be willing to change with the times and offer the products that retail customers want.
Looking ahead, Frazier said his store will continue to supply hot rod and performance products as that market remains strong, and will stock parts for hybrids, diesels, and other new technology as necessary.
“We’ve had Gates products in this store since I’ve been here, but other most product lines have changed, he said. “There are lots of changes coming, and it’s always a balancing act, but we’re parts professionals and we will adapt to changing needs and service our customers.”
