THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 4, 1995 TAG: 9510030105
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Business
SOURCE: BY ALLISON T. WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SMITHFIELD LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
To stay competitive, Keen's Automotive Center has joined forces with the Atlanta-based auto parts chain NAPA.
Junior and Frances Keen have owned and operated their business, now at 1602 S. Church St., for 22 years. In addition to a parts store, the business includes a machine shop, where car and truck engines are rebuilt, and engine warehouses, which distribute new and used motors. The Keens also own an engine warehouse in Fredericksburg.
Last month, the Isle of Wight County husband-and-wife team bought the Smithfield NAPA franchise from Beamon's Body Parts in Suffolk.
``In the automotive parts marketplace, things are changing daily,'' Junior Keen said. ``If you are not associated with a large corporate chain, it's impossible to access all the parts our customers need.
``So when we had the chance to become associated with a national operation such as NAPA, we took advantage of the opportunity. We see this association as a positive one for Keen's Automotive Center.''
For the last two weeks, NAPA crews have been stocking the shelves at Keen's Automotive with NAPA-brand auto parts, Junior Keen said. Once all the merchandise has been transferred, the NAPA location at 932A S. Church will be closed, he said.
Keen is counting on customers seeing an advantage in Keen's marriage to NAPA. They will find a better selection of parts at more competitive prices, he said. The business will now have easy access to 99,000 parts for customers, up from the 55,000 it used to have available.
Keen's also will begin delivering parts to local garages.
The Keens said their business has felt the impact of Roanoke-based Advance Auto Parts opening a Smithfield store last spring. However, they said that was only one of several factors that prompted them to buy the NAPA franchise.
``I think it would be unrealistic to say we were not affected by the opening of Advance,'' Junior Keen said.
But Keen's Automotive has retained most of the customers who have shopped there since the store opened more than two decades ago, Frances Keen said.
``We will not lose our identity as Keen's,'' she said. ``We have been a part of the Smithfield community for too long to do that. We plan to be around here for many years to come.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by ALLISON WILLIAMS
Keen Automotive salesman Hal King, left, and Craig Bauer, a Balkamp
sales representative, look over some merchandise.
by CNB