About US

FUN FACT

When Advance first opened our doors in 1932, the average cost for a gallon of gas was 10 cents.

Built from a solid foundation.

  • 1901 Arthur Taubman is born in Astoria, New York.
  • 1932 Arthur Taubman purchases Advance Stores, LLC from Pep Boys, which consists of three stores: two in Roanoke, VA. and one in Lynchburg, VA.
  • 1938 Advance Stores Company expands into Winston-Salem, NC, signaling the beginning of the company’s multi-state growth.
  • 1969 Arthur Taubman steps down as President but remains Chairman of the company. His son, Nick Taubman, assumes the role of President. There are 54 Advance stores in four states.
  • 1982 The PDQ (Parts Delivered Quickly) Program rolls out, providing customers access to more than 25,000 automotive parts and accessories.
  • 1985 Advance Auto changes its name to “Advance Auto Parts.” On November 4, 6.61 inches of rain falls onto an already saturated ground. The deluge destroys Advance’s home office and warehouse, but not the determination of Advance Auto Parts.
  • 1993 On May 28, Advance Auto Parts opens its 300th store in Windsor, NC.
  • 1996 The Commercial Delivery program is rolled out. The company-wide rollout of the Reliable Automotive Direct Order Catalog is completed, providing customers with 100,000 SKUs from over 200 vendors.
  • 1998 In April, the Taubman family sells a majority interest in the company to the investment firm Freeman Spogli & Co. In August, Advance Auto Parts buys Western Auto Supply Company/Parts America, which doubles the company’s size almost overnight.
  • 2001 Advance Auto Parts becomes a publicly traded company, listed as a common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AAP.
  • 2003 The company's 2,500th store opens in Parma, OH. Advance makes its first appearance on the prestigious Fortune 500 list.
  • 2006 In September, Advance opens its 3,000th store in Salina, KS, part of the company’s Western Area. Advance Auto Parts celebrates its 5th year as a public company. The Commercial Delivery program reaches its 10th anniversary, and Commercial Sales reach $1 billion.
  • 2007 On April 29, Advance Auto Parts celebrates its 75th year in business, with over 3,000 stores in the U.S., the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and more than 43,000 Team Members.
  • 2008 Under Darren Jackson’s leadership, the company announces four priorities designed to transform the business – DIY Transformation, Commercial Acceleration, Availability Excellence and Superior Experience.