Automotive Supply Company: Over 80 Years of NAPA Auto Parts Service

is the oldest NAPA store in the country. The company 9s business is mainly wholesale but a small portion of the business is retail.<br><br> The Lelli family still prides itself in providing service with a difference. What is that difference? Jules 9 grandson Bob Lelli, Jr.<br><br> said, cAt the risk of sounding 8clichéish, 9 I guess it would be personal service and customer service, d he said, adding cWe deal with customers ?ve to ten times a day, so you have to give them the personal time. d Being a family business is ca big part of us d Bob said, adding that being very much family-oriented cmeans a lot to us. d He noted that customers have also been loyal through the generations. cSons and daughters of people who dealt with my grandfather have been dealing with my father and me now, d he said. cWe 9ve been rather fortunate that way. d This is a family-run business, literally.<br><br> The president of the corporation is Bob Lelli, Jr. 9s father, Bob Sr.; the vice-president is his uncle, Richard; the secretary is his mother, Aline, and the of?ce manager is his sister Karen. cThere 9s a lot of personal care that goes into a family-owned business, d Bob Jr. said.<br><br> A lot of that personal care is doing what is necessary 4even going the extra mile 4to satisfy a customer. cIf we don 9t have an item stocked, we 9ll call up a competitor to see if they have it, d he said. Karen Lelli noted with pride how her uncle Richard, nine years ago, learned Spanish at the age of 65 so that he could speak to the Hispanic customers.<br><br> As far as the several other auto parts stores in Vineland offering competition, Bob Jr. is con?dent in his business 9s place in the community. cWe have a niche here, so we are able to work around that competition, d he said.<br><br> As far as future plans, the plan is to build on their recent façade upgrade, which put a fresh new face on the building 9s exterior. Taking advantage of the city 9s Façade Improvement Program, Bob Jr. said that cwe 9re glad we did it when we did it. d They are currently working with the city on plans for redoing their interior.<br><br> Bob Jr. is enthusiastic about downtown Vineland revitalization plans. cI 9m looking forward to the changes.<br><br> It 9s going to help the downtown. d he said. cWe 9ve been downtown for 80 years and improvements are only going to make downtown grow. d For more information on Automotive Parts Company of South Jersey, Inc., call them at (856) 691-1584. Upcoming 2009 Events NEW APRIL Bridal Show MAY Memorial Day Parade JUNE Soap Box Derby, Cruise Down Memory Lane, Farmers 9 Market JULY Seafood Festival, Farmers 9 Market AUGUST Tomato & Wine Festival, Farmers 9 Market SEPTEMBER Ribs- 8n-Chili Cook-Off OCTOBER Thunder on the Avenue NOVEMBER Annual Holiday Parade<br><br>

less