The Pep Boys Auto Center on Blackstone across from Manchester Center has finally given up the ghost; again! This location actually closed down around the time of the pandemic a few years ago but it’s been shuttered again.
I thought maybe it’d survive after it reopened because it partnered with Advance Auto Parts. Advance took over the retail space right next door and focused on just selling parts. This was super convenient because you could just purchase an item right over the counter and walk it over to the mechanic side. Apparently, it wasn’t enough to save the operation.
There was a time when I only got my cars serviced at Pep Boys. They were a fast, honest, and economical service that was a great alternative to traditional dealerships. Unfortunately, the level of customer service had really fallen off over the past 5 or 6 years and it was especially obvious to those of us who had been long time customers. Is this a one-off or a trend and is this another nail in the many coffins in the mausoleum that is Manchester?
