Local NAPA store to celebrate 40 years in service to Orcas Island

Saturday, August 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., NAPA Auto Parts

— by Deborah Sparks, Orcas Issues reporter —

Perry Pugh, the owner of NAPA Auto Parts, is a long time local who opened his first automotive store on Orcas in 1979. He came from Southern California to inquire about purchasing Gordy’s Garage when he realized Orcas did not have a local auto parts store. With a $15,000 investment, he opened his first store in a 450 square foot storefront that is now the Living Room. Pugh says he had “a crash course in the automotive aftermarket and learned marketing by the seat-of–the–pants method. I remember my first sale was an 1157 GE light bulb.” After several moves on Orcas and increases in the sales area and inventory, his business grew to his current store which is now 6000 square feet at 1402 Mt. Baker Rd. Its grand opening was in 2000.

NAPA’S 40^th Anniversary is Saturday, August 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The store will be open and there will be music, food, things for the kids to do, such as T-ball, a grand prize of $500 worth of tickets to attend OC events.

Pugh, although he did not want the focus of this interview on him, is a man with walls of awards and national recognition for his participation and service in the automotive industry.

A warm, approachable businessman, Pugh has spent his adult life involved and evolving with the changing needs to keep motorized vehicles running. His emphasis on customer support and the community is forefront in his thinking. In 1992 along with 12 others in the automotive industry, he participated in the original drafting of National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) automotive parts test for countermen.

In 1993 he purchased an antifreeze recycling machine to collect, process, and re-market to the local area recycled coolant, instead of dumping this hazardous waste into this area.

Over the years Perry and the staff have had some unusual customer interactions. In one instance a customer came in to request Perry use his specialized micrometer to measure the displacement between two titanium pieces. Turns out the customer’s wife had to have a second hip replacement because of “wear and tear” on the metal joint. The customer wanted confirmation that the surgery was actually necessary by measuring the tolerance in the artificial joint’s pieces.

His values have to do with experienced staff that is long term, friendly, and knowledgeable about motorized vehicle parts. His longest employee of 30 years retired, but after some leave, is coming back to work soon. He employs men and women who have experience and interest in mechanics and can work a forty-hour week. He encourages his staff to be as helpful with a customer as they have time for, even taking a look under the hood, if necessary, to identify a car part. NAPA, this writer has found, is also a great place to get flashlights, some tools, and other products.

You can see more about NAPA on Facebook at orcasislandnapa.com. The store number is 360-376-4901.