Metals Recycling News
Parts Galore: More Than Just Scrap
By Cornelius A. Fortune
Michigan Chronicle Staff Writer
February 6-12, 2008
Walk along the 25 acres of discarded cars on the lot of Parts Galore, and the average visitor may be surprised. Owner Bill Wild’s idea of a scrap yard is a place that’s environmentally friendly, clean and affordable.
Inside, a green reconstructed dinosaur fossil stands behind a black gate with the banner “Takes the Bite Out of Prices” above it. The establishment works like a fast-food restaurant, complete with a cashier window (walk up only) and that's not such a bad thing, noted Wild. Speed of service is important. One dollar gets you in the door and another dollar gets you a wheelbarrow. If you don’t want a wheelbarrow, you’re welcome to bring your own. “This is a completely new concept for selling auto parts. Our cashiers are set up just like a McDonald’s.” Wild said. “All of our prices are flat-rate. Prices are posted. You can buy a guarantee on the parts - parts are sold as-is, a 30-day guarantee. If the part doesn’t fit you can return it (for) a 90-day store credit against anything.”
Parts Galore acquires its inventory form charities, police ponds, towing companies, car dealerships, insurance companies and auto salvage pools. Their selection runs from year 2000 models all the way back to the 1950s.
“Generally we rotate,” he said. “We’re rotating 1,200 new cars a month.”
The facility has 8,000 square ft. and 270 parking spaces. Not only is there plenty of room to move around, while you’re taking a look at a map to locate the car of your choice, there are soda machines scattered through-out the grounds.
Since it gets very hot there during the summer, Wild thought it would be a good idea to provide his customers with that convenience.
The goal is to leave no part to waste. Anything that’s salvageable is taken from the car before it’s placed on the market. There’s a discount table with used anti-freeze, windshield wiper fluid, floor mats and a couple of basketballs from a previous owner. You never know what you might find.
“I knew there was a need in the city for inexpensive used auto parts.” Wild said, “We remediate it (the land first) brought it up to safe standards, and we environmentally cleanse them before they go in the yard.”
Wild encourages interested applicants to come down and get an application: “Right now we’re at 25 employees. Come down get an application and go from there. He believes this concept is unlike anything else the city offers.
“Since we get in here, people have been overwhelmingly receptive. We’re probably the first new retail development in this area in 50 years, and we’ve raised the bar,” Wild said.
John, a frequent customer at the first store, who asked for his last name not be printed, applauded the new location: “It is organized. That’s what I like about it. On weekends it’s like a shopping center.”
William “Caveman” Lee, a former middleweight boxer, has worked at Parts Galore since last September.
“It’s a new concept in junkyards,” Lee said. “You can take your family there, that’s how clean it is. I see a lot of women coming to get parts, and usually they bring a mechanic: some women are as good as mechanics.”
He says the cars look so good you could actually drive them off the lot.
A grand opening is scheduled for this spring.
“We’ve had tremendous support from the city," Wild said. “The neighborhood – this area – is coming back. We’re hoping to be the catalyst to help it grow. We’re proud of it. Our motto is customer friendly from the top on down, cleanliness and customer friendly.”
Parts Galore is located at 5970 W Warren and 11360 E. Eight Mile Road, and is open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8p.m. and most holidays. For more information, call (313) 245-2944.
