Sometimes it’s not the dramatic rescue that makes someone a hero, but a simple, good deed that can make a difference in someone’s life.
If that’s the case, then Joe’s Auto Parts is where heroes are made.
With two stores in Staten Island and one store in Brooklyn, the people at Joe’s have made it their business to look out for those in need.
“If a customer comes in asking for a part, and they seem to be unsure or hesitant about why they need it, we make it our business to help them,” says Nick Defendis, one of three storeowners. “Especially whenever I see a woman or an older person in the store, I always think about what would happen if they found themselves stranded.”
So when a recently widowed female customer came into the store three days in a row and asked for a gallon of antifreeze, Defendis says he grew suspicious.
“I began talking to her about why she needed all of this antifreeze, and then she broke down and cried and told me that her husband recently died, and she had no idea what she was doing,” recalls Defendis.
“From her description of the problem, we figured her head gasket was damaged.
“She had no one to help her, so we made a few calls to one of our mechanic customers who owed us a favor, and they invited her to come to their shop,” he adds. “We supplied the part to her at cost, and they did the labor at half the cost.”
Then in March, another woman came into the store looking for one hubcap, but since they only come in a set, she would’ve had to pay $55.
“We could tell she didn’t have any money, so we asked her where her car was and popped off one of her hubcaps,” says Defendis. “We matched it with one found in a local junkyard.
“It cost $5, and we installed it the next day,” he adds. “We did it for nothing because these are the types of things we like to do in our community.”
Joseph Visciano founded the store in 1945 after returning from WWII. Visciano set the standard for how customers would be treated in his stores.
Twenty years ago, when one of the owner’s daughters tried to buy a quart of motor oil from another parts store, Joe Burgio, store manager, says the counterpeople belittled her.
“From that point on, we were reminded that we would never make a female customer feel belittled in our stores, and they would be treated as equals,” says Burgio, who is also part owner of the company’s online business. Their online business also makes special reference as to how female customers will be treated on their website.
According to the website, “Joe’s Auto Parts is a female-friendly store. We have patient, courteous counterpeople who will listen and can help you find the exact part you’re looking for.”
Whether male or female, the store’s founder has always had a great respect and a sense of gratitude for all of his customers.
“He was always involved in the community,” says Defendis, who spends much of his spare time teaching baseball to local youth. “Over the years, whenever a shop had problems or was going out of business, he was always there to help.
“He kept many of those people in business because he extended them credit,” he adds. “His son, Pargie, a principal owner, lives by those standards every day and is very generous with his money within the community.”
A solid Web presence
From humble beginnings with one small auto parts store on 4th Avenue in Brooklyn, Joe’s has grown into three mega-discounted locations and one of the leading online auto parts stores on the Web today.
Since its beginning last September, Joe’s website, www.joesautoparts.org, gets at least 8,000 hits a day. And it’s easy to see why.
“If you need a part, and another parts store tells you they don’t carry the part, we can get it to you within two to three days,” says Burgio.
“A mechanic from the Las Vegas area orders parts from us because he can’t get what he needs in his area at our price. We can get almost any part that no other store carries, at the absolute lowest prices.”
Besides repair shops and DIYers, Joe’s also supplies big chain aftermarket retailers, specialty service repair chains and racing professionals, like Marc Dantoni and Jerry Manza, with all of their import and performance accessory parts needs.
Celebrating their 60th anniversary this year, Joe’s Auto Parts continues to redefine success and prove that sometimes nice guys do “finish first.”
The Vital StatsYears in business: 60 years
Growth plans: Looking at lease opportunities in the Staten Island/New Jersey area.
Number of employees: About 40 total
Wholesale/retail ratio: 70/30
Snapshot of Joe's Auto Parts: Starting with its first store in Brooklyn, Joe Visciano founded the company in 1945 after returning from WWII. The company grew from a small auto parts store on 4th Avenue in Brooklyn to three mega-discounted locations and one of the leading online auto parts stores on the Web today.
Affiliation: None
Competition: A major parts supplier a mile away.
Location/Facility size: Joe's I in Brooklyn is 12,000 sq. feet, and its two stores in Staten Island include Joe's II at 15,000 sq. feet and Joe's III at 13,000 sq. feet.
