JC Whitney
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive parts retail |
| Founded | 1915 |
| Founder | Israel Warshawsky |
| Headquarters | LaSalle, Illinois , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Aftermarket automotive parts and accessories |
| Parent | CarParts.com (previously U.S. Auto Parts Network, Inc.) |
| Website | jcwhitney |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2019) |
JC Whitney operates as a retailer specializing in aftermarket automotive parts and accessories. In 2010, it became part of CarParts.com (previously known as U.S. Auto Parts Network, Inc.), a publicly traded American company focused on online sales of aftermarket auto components. By July 2020, JC Whitney was fully integrated into CarParts.com.[1]
History
The origins of JC Whitney trace back to 1915 when it was established as The Warshawsky Company, initially functioning as a scrap metal yard located on Chicago's South Side. The founder, Israel Warshawsky, was an immigrant from Lithuania. During World War I, Warshawsky expanded his inventory by acquiring defunct automobile manufacturers and adding new parts. Despite the challenges of the Great Depression, the company continued its growth trajectory. In 1997, the original Chicago store was closed and operations were relocated to LaSalle, Illinois.
In 1934, Roy Warshawsky, Israel’s son and a University of Chicago graduate, joined the family business. Roy suggested broadening the company's reach beyond the Chicago region by introducing a nationwide catalog. He invested sixty dollars in an advertisement placed in Popular Mechanics offering a "giant auto parts catalog" for 25 cents. The advertisement generated significant customer interest.
Following Israel's passing in 1943, Roy assumed leadership and steered the company through World War II, consistently adapting strategies to meet evolving customer demands. Roy retired from his role in 1991.
On June 26, 2002, ownership of JC Whitney transferred to The Riverside Company.[2] In 2007, Riverside established Whitney Automotive Group, which included other brands such as CarParts.com, StylinTrucks.com, and AllBikeSupershop.com. On August 17, 2010, U.S. Auto Parts acquired JC Whitney along with the entire Whitney Automotive Group for $27.5 million.[3]
By July 2020, JC Whitney was consolidated into CarParts.com and announced plans to introduce a new range of accessories targeting Jeep and truck enthusiasts through its updated website.[1]
LaSalle, Illinois, location
The extensive distribution center is located at the LaSalle, Illinois site. Previously operating as a public retail outlet until August 2019, this space was transformed to enlarge the distribution operations. This location also maintains a connection with Carparts.com. Up until May 2020, customer support services were managed from the Philippines. Both the LaSalle and Independence, Ohio call centers have since been shut down. Additionally, as of April 2019, the parent company CarParts.com discontinued its Carson, California distribution hub and introduced new distribution centers in Chesapeake, Virginia (established in 2016) and Las Vegas, Nevada (launched in 2019).
External links
Further reading
- "JC Whitney Celebrates 100 Years". January 21, 2015.
- "Brief History of JC Whitney". August 10, 2001.
- "Hemmings.com on Roy Warshawsky". September 23, 2018.
- "US Carparts.com Investors". August 2, 2010.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "A New Era for JC Whitney". CarParts.com. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- ↑ "Multichannel Merchant". August 1, 2002.
- ↑ "US Auto Parts Investor Relations Web Site". August 17, 2010.