PHILADELPHIA & CHICAGO -- The Pep Boys - Manny, Moe & Jack, announced that each of its 23 stores in the greater Chicago region will celebrate grand re-openings beginning July 7. The stores, which have undergone a significant internal and external transformation, showcase Pep Boys' commitment to revitalize its unique offering of automotive parts, tires, repair and maintenance services - and more - to its customers in the Chicago market.

The store enhancements reflect a time of significant corporate revitalization at Pep Boys that began under the tenure of Larry Stevenson, chairman and chief executive officer. A significant milestone in the company's 84-year legacy, the Chicago grand re-openings celebrate stores that focus sharply on providing customers with a wide range of basic automotive parts and automotive accessories and name-brand tires for one's shopping list. In addition, each store has been extensively re-merchandised and stocked with new products ranging from tools and ATVs to generators, the latest in mobile entertainment and the most modern automotive repair equipment. An ultramodern interior design, which reflects the new red, white and blue Pep Boys corporate colors, includes multimedia displays, dynamic signage and customized areas for new product categories. The store facades and exterior signs have also been updated.

"All of our Chicago-area stores now feature bolder product displays that leverage our massive retail space, maximize sales per square foot, create a permanent space for exciting new product categories, including transportation and garage, and highlight the repair and maintenance service we provide in our 6,000 service bays," said Stevenson. "We are very excited about the revitalization of the Chicago stores. Customer response has been very positive as a result of our previous grand re-openings and we expect a similar response from our loyal Chicago customers."

The new look has proven appealing in other key markets such as Jacksonville, FL, Los Angeles, San Diego and Philadelphia where store re-designs have received a favorable response and positive results. By 2007, Pep Boys plans to complete the refurbishment of substantially all of its 593 stores across the United States and Puerto Rico.

As part of the Chicago grand re-openings, Pep Boys stores will run a special 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. sale on Thursday, July 7, as well as a celebratory sale for the following nine days in July. The first 150 customers to visit each Chicago-area Pep Boys location on July 7 will receive a FREE $10 Pep Boys shopping card.

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