Re: Helpful counter people

[jlandry@domain.elided (John A. Landry)]

On Tue, 11 Nov 1997 12:30:22 -0600, Jim <junglejim@domain.elided> wrote:

>In response to the counter people fiasco.....
>John Landry.....I have been to that parts store on Pacific Ave. In Tacoma
>(used to live up near 56th and McKinley) I know just what you mean about
>the guys (and gals) who either groan when I say "International" or worse
>yet, go get someone else to help me.
>I have found that most NAPA stores have what I need in stock as do Schucks.
>Maybe I was getting lucky or maybe it is the Pacific Northwest and their
>love for Scouts! :)
>I do feel a bit superior when I tell the guy behind the counter to go
>straight to the books and not mess with the computer!  I get mixed
>reactions to requests for parts now.  But, until I figure out a way to have
>2 or 3 replacement parts for everything on my Scout, guess I am stuck with
>going to the parts store.

Owen Minor in Tacoma has said nice things about Big Wheel Auto Parts (a
small local auto parts store chain with the old fashioned parts store feel)
so I stopped by the one down here yesterday in the Port of Tacoma near
where I work.  All I needed was a gallon of Prestone for my wife's Subaru,
but the first thing I noticed was that the guys behind the counter were
still looking up stuff in books instead of the corporate computer system. 

I got to chatting with the counter guys about Internationals and Scouts, so
by the time I left, they had me behind the counter looking through some of
their specialty electrical catalogs for dual headlight relays and battery
selector switches.  What a pleasant change from the McAutoParts stores.

Unfortunately, smaller places like Big Wheel lack the buying power of the
larger chains, so their prices are *usually* going to be higher... at least
that's been my experience.  But when the difference is only a few dollars,
I'm going to give this local Big Wheel store my business from now on.  Very
friendly counter guys.

>Sorry about the bandwidth wasted, but I feel better now.

Me too now that I found a *real* auto parts store!

Thanks Owen,

John

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jlandry@domain.elided             |
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