Printable View
What were some of the old auto parts stores on the west side? For some reason all I can remember is Murray's. The 60s and 70s were the times of small privately owned businesses before the chains took over like locusts, but for some reason I can't remember any of them. I know some of them were tucked away on secondary streets like Meyers or Puritan.
During WW II and shortly after there was a Ned's Auto Supply on Grand River at Plymouth that seemed to be "the" place for parts back then. They later also sold appliances. I think there were other "Ned's" stores in Detroit, but that's the one that comes to mind.
There was one on West Chicago & Monica, just west of Livernois. I can't recall the entire name, but the Google Street View image shows "Bill [letters missing] Auto Parts." Here's the GSV link:
https://goo.gl/maps/SqJy8wumKD22
I recall this place only because I was there one day in the early 1980s attempting to repair their old decrepit phones that the owner didn't want to replace. As I was working on the phone behind the counter, he got into an argument with a customer trying to return something. It got real heated to the point that the owner pulled out a sawed-off 12-gauge and told the customer he was going to leave ASAP with holes or without. The place cleared out real fast.
I used to use Karr's auto parts on Schaefer north of McNichols.
Had a machine shop and a good selection of parts.
As an owner of many used cars, I used to frequent several places off the beaten trail. I remember the machine shops that would 'turn' your rotors, swap out generators. Does anyone grind rotors any more? Seems now when the groove out you just replace. Two fast places come to mind fast Bull used auto parts on Warren off Grand River, then there was a place on Livernois off Joyroad?
Had a Ned's Firestone on the corner of McNichols and Shaefer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray1936
Offered car car services, sold tires, home appliances, bikes...
My second bike, cruiser style, was bought there. Rode it out of the sales floor and all the way home. Used to play baseball in their parking lot. Home plate was their wall where we drew a box representing the strike zone in chalk on it. Hitting the ball into busy McNichols was an automatic out.
Good times.
Back in the day, a party store owner in Corktown had a M1921 Thomson machine gun with a 40 round mag proped up behind the counter. Yeah- no complaints here.Quote:
As I was working on the phone behind the counter, he got into an argument with a customer trying to return something. It got real heated to the point that the owner pulled out a sawed-off 12-gauge and told the customer he was going to leave ASAP with holes or without. The place cleared out real fast.
https://www.detroityes.com/mb/clear.gif Reply https://www.detroityes.com/mb/clear.gif Reply With Quote
I have an O'Reilly's right across the street, Boolyeah .
There's always Ryans Pick A Part on Hubble! But you have to really know what you're doing to deal with that. And we're talking used parts!
I don't think nobody turns or grinds rotors anymore. They're so cheap now, it's better to just replace them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zacha341