Car owners who prefer to do their own repairs may have to order parts by mail in the near future. Advance Auto Parts, Inc., a leading provider of automotive aftermarket parts in North America, told its investors that it plans to close a total of 500 corporate stores, 200 independently owned locations, and four distribution centers by mid-2025.
Many of Florida’s stores are known as Advanced Discount Auto Parts, in reference to the former competitor Advanced acquired in 2001. The closures are being attributed to “sluggish consumer demand,” according to Fox Business. Other factors include hurricanes and a CrowdStrike online outage that that disrupted their computer system earlier this year.
According to the company’s recent press release, existing stores and distribution centers will be transformed into “market hubs,”
An excerpt from release reads:
“The company is executing a strategic plan to improve business performance with a focus on core retail improvements. The company has identified opportunities that it believes can improve adjusted operating income margin by more than 500-basis points through fiscal 2027. This strategic plan is anchored on three pillars outlined below to put the company on the path to deliver consistent profitable growth.
- Store operations
- Reduction in U.S. asset footprint – closing 523 Advance corporate stores, exiting 204 independent locations, and closing four distribution centers.
- Standardization of store operating model and improving labor productivity.
- Acceleration in pace of new store openings.
- Merchandising excellence
- Strategic sourcing to improve first costs and bring parts to market faster.
- Assortment management to enhance availability of parts.
- Pricing and promotions management to improve gross margin.
- Supply chain
- Consolidation of distribution centers to operate 13 large facilities by 2026.
- Opening of 60 market hub locations by mid-2027.
- Optimization of transportation routes and freight to lower costs and improve productivity.
Specific locations of the store closures have not yet been disclosed.
