Document KMV8v10BVvOBDNzqkX0Lk1J0

Fire and rain--devastating disasters for any business--did not halt two NAPA AUTO PARTS stores from rebuilding in record time. The resurrection efforts from NAPA Distribution Centers aided jobbers to start virtually from ground up and set up a store without losing time or sales. Some stores move by truck or van; the NAPA AUTO PARTS/Main Auto Parts of Fort Deposit, Alabama, floated into its new location. An extremely heavy rain caused the store's roof to collapse one morning shortly after owner Bill Cassady had arrived to open for business. "After the roof caved in, the store flooded quickly from the water trapped on top," Cassady recalled. "The front plate glass window blew out onto the street and I narrowly missed being hit by parts of the roof and the metal tail pipe rack, directly under the area that collapsed. "I collected my thoughts and called the police department, fire and rescue squads and the Birmingham Distribution Center. Within a few hours, Birming ham General Manager Scott Carlson arrived to help assess the damaged inven tory and find a new site to relocate. " Nearly four to five inches of water cov ered the floor, necessitating the use of a gasoline powered chain saw to drill a hole in the floor for drainage. By the after noon, Scott helped me obtain a new build ing three doors away from my store." The next day, 17 D.C. and factory rep resentatives came to Fort Deposit--a town of approximately 2,500, 30 miles south of Montgomery--to salvage resellable goods, itemize damaged merchandise and move and restock shelves, counters and desks. While the damage was being assessed, a Birmingham D.C. employee operated the counter. The team com pleted the job in a day and left with a parts order to replace damaged merchandise. Cassady said. "The following morning. I received 138 pieces of freight and was open for business. Thanks to the support from the Birmingham D.C., I reopened for business in one day's t ime and did not miss a sale, even after being flooded out. In fact, my business has increased at this location." Cassady reflected, "You really don't know how good the NAPA people are and how far-reaching their support can be until calamity comes calling. We simply couldn't have done it alone." NAPA AUTO PARTS store owner Bill Cassady received timely assistance from NAPA Birmingham after his roof caved in during a heavy rain storm. (Courtesy of Lowndes Signal--Port Deposit. Alabama) Losing nearly three quarters of his store's inventory to fire did not stop Ray Skolberg from opening up for business the next day--thanks to the Owatonna Distribution Center. An electrical fire in an apartment above NAPA AUTO PARTS/Winsted Auto & Truck in Winsted, Minnesota, spread below to the store roof. Using nearly two thousand gallons of water, the fire department doused the flames, but, in the process, thoroughly drenched the store and its inventory. "D.C. personnel arrived by midday and began pulling inventory immediately," Skolberg said. "The job was finished around 9 o'clock that evening and the Owatonna staff drove home. Fire, ashes and water had ruined about 75% of the stock." The next morning, Saturday, the en tire D.C. management team and several factory representatives drove two hours to return to Winsted to help strip down shelves in the old store and set up the counter, shelves and gondola at the new location. The team completed their mis sion that afternoon. "The Owatonna D.C. volunteers gave up their Saturday to help pull together a NAPA AUTO PARTS store at a new loca tion in one day. I was back in business before anyone noticed fire hit my busi ness. Many of the 1,800 Winsted resi dents noted that this location looked better than the former site. It was the talk of the town for about a month. In fact, my sales for the month increased 16% in comparison to last year. "I was overwhelmed with the selfless help received from the NAPA Distribu tion Center and speedy mobilization of their efforts. With their assistance my store recovered, reopened and even raised its sales." Firefighters work quickly to stop the flames above Ray Skolberg's store in Win sted. Minnesota. 10