This week, the local automotive community lost a legend.
Wayne Holton, long time parts counterman for Merv’s and White Brothers Auto Parts passed away, taking a lifetime of knowledge and experience with him. He was 72 years old and lived life well.
He was one of the last great countermen in this area.
The automotive parts business has changed drastically in the past 10 years or so. Most parts houses are corporate-owned and operate more like a retail store than a traditional source of know how.
As these mom and pop stores lose more market share to online parts suppliers such as eBay, Amazon, and Rock Auto, they will cut where they can to stay profitable. Many of these cuts will be to labor costs, which are the biggest expenses to any retail store.
A knowledgeable parts specialist is expensive but, in my opinion, worth every penny.
My first automotive job was at Western Auto, a name not uttered in automotive circles for decades. Behind the counter was Ricky, our “parts pro,” who sat on a stool behind enormous rows of catalogs from Fram, Champion, Moog, and other parts manufacturers.
When our computers couldn’t find the right part, Ricky sure could. He also taught me a lot about how parts worked and how to properly sell them.
In the late 1990s, Sears bought Western Auto and stripped it for parts, closing every location in a matter of months. I lost my job and went to a competitor for a few months, and then started working at the local Ford dealer as a tech.
A “counterman” is a general term, much like fireman and the like. It is not limited to males, as there are ladies in this town who are fantastic at this job, and they do more than just sell parts. Like the techs who rely on their service, they are problem solvers.
Getting the incorrect part can lead to delays, wasted money and even damage to vehicles; the trust between the counterman and techs or customers must be solid.
Their job is not easy either. Between hundreds of calls a week from commercial customers, finding the correct stock, keeping things organized, and making sure the store turns a profit, their job can be more pressing than a store manager position.
As vehicles evolve, they must be able to change with them. To start a career selling ignition points and mechanical fuel pumps and ending it selling EV batteries takes quite an adjustment. It takes learning that what makes your customers successful is the same thing that makes you successful.
There are other countermen in town like Wayne, and they are retiring with great frequency. The problem is that there doesn’t seem to be a good effort to replace them. They are vital to the success of the industry and provide incredible value.
Anyone can look up parts for cars, but it takes a true counterman to make sure you have everything you need to complete the repair. This is something no online AI bot can match, and we will surely miss it if it disappears.
So today, I tip my hat to Wayne Holton, a legend. I offer his family my condolences and thoughts. If so moved, his family has asked for donations to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in lieu of flowers. If you knew Wayne, leave a comment below, and I will make sure his family sees it.
As for me, I will see you on the road!
