Grindstone native’s college job was first step toward owning 25-store auto parts company
Herald The Town Crier visited Jessica Cramer, and Pee-Wee George at NAPA Auto recently. The Brownsville store won first place in Auto Parts in the Herald-Standard’s Community Choice Awards.
Herald the Town Crier checks out what’s in stock at NAPA Auto Parts.
Fayette Parts Service Inc. owner Carl DellaPenna got his start in the auto parts business as a student working his way through college, driving an old car that needed frequent repairs.
DellaPenna now owns 25 stores in the area, selling NAPA parts.
“One of the reasons I started working at a parts store is my car was so junky I had to work on it more than I drove it. I got to know the employees at the parts store, learned how it worked,” he said. “I got really into it, really enjoyed it.”
He worked nights and evenings at the auto parts store in Brownsville to pay his way through college while completing his degree at California University of Pennsylvania in industrial technology management.
“All the times I wasn’t in class, I was working. I learned the business from the ground up,” he said.
He founded Fayette Parts Service Inc. in 1976, and opened its first location, which was in Uniontown.
“At that time, if you even had a couple stores you were considered a really big owner. I never foresaw having the kind of business that we have now,” he said.
The company expanded to 25 locations over the years, dotting the region with stores stretching from Clearfield, Ohio to State College.
He said his biggest source of pride in his business is his ability to employ hundreds of people and serve his hometown. DellaPenna is originally from Grindstone and graduated from Brownsville Area High School.
“We have almost 400 employees in our company. There’s a large responsibility that comes with making sure we are providing for them and our community. We’ve been serving Fayette County for well over 45 years,” he said.
He said the industry was hit hard by the pandemic, which reduced the numbers of people driving and caused widespread unemployment.
“The main difference with COVID was the fact that there was so much unemployment out there. We couldn’t close. We had to be open,” he said. “The pandemic really slowed people down. People aren’t driving, cars aren’t wearing out.”
He said the industry is continuing to face supply shortages.
“Right now, it’s hard for us to get products. It’s tough for us to source products,” he said.
But his business is continuing to grow. He purchased a new store location in Saltsburg Sept. 1, he said.
“I guess the main thing is trying to adjust to the times, adjust to inflation, just adjust to a changing world,” he said.
DellaPenna said about 60% of his customers are for auto repairs, about 20% for retail and do-it-yourselfers, and about 20% for construction, farming and industrial needs.
His NAPA Auto Parts store in Brownsville won first place in Auto Parts in the Community Choice Awards, which he believes is due to the knowledge of his employees and the company’s product value.
“For the money, you’re getting the best value for your dollar. I think our employees have a lot to do with it,” he said.
He said the staffers show their “NAPA know how” and the stores have excellent product availability. Many of his employees have worked for him for 20 years or more, he said.
“The thing that separates us is mainly our employees, the knowledge of our employees, the dedication of our employees, and the knowledgeable staff that we’ve had for many years,” DellaPenna said.