Advance Auto Parts Celebrates Grand Opening

Advance Auto Parts on Douglas Road has been open for business for weeks. But on Tuesday, staff there celebrated with an official grand opening and ribbon cutting, with about 40 guests from the community.

The estimated $2.5 million Advance Auto Parts building was contructed at the corner of Douglas Road and Rt. 30, on the site of an old Mobil station. The general manager of the new store is Joe Lesner, who said Advance Auto sees great potential in that corner, and in Montgomery.

Tuesday’s grand opening saw Village President Marilyn Michelini, four village trustees and members of the Greater Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce and the joining in.

Advance Auto has been in business for nearly 80 years. Stores are corporate-owned, and contain row after row of everything most cars need, from antifreeze to oil filters. The Montgomery location will offer free battery checkups and installation (in most cars), free wiper blade installation, and free computer checks.

Lesner said the new Advance Auto has led to the creation of 10 jobs, and though half of them were transfers from other stores, half were filled with local workers.

Like all Advance Auto Parts stores, the Montgomery location will also be collecting donations for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Lesner said. The stores have been taking donations for the past eight or so years, Lesner said, and last year took in around $4 million.

Advance Auto Parts is open from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays.