Pep Boys, a leading U.S. automotive service provider and retailer of commercial and do-it-yourself parts in Puerto Rico, is celebrating 100 years in business and 25 years since expanding to serve the island. In addition, Pep Boys continues to reinforce its commitment to “go further” for more customers and communities in Puerto Rico with the opening of a new Service and Tire Center at the U.S. military installation at Fort Buchanan, which provides a comprehensive range of automotive maintenance and repair services exclusively to those stationed at the base.
“We are proud to help keep drivers moving across the island of Puerto Rico, including the military community at Fort Buchanan,” said Brian Kaner, CEO. “Puerto Rico is an important market for Pep Boys and, as we identify new opportunities for growth, we plan to continue expanding our capabilities to deliver world-class automotive service to meet the growing needs of our customers.”
The opening of the Fort Buchanan location complements Pep Boys’ centennial celebration in 2021, which includes a Pep Boys Road Trip bringing customers, suppliers, and team members together in nearly 100 U.S. markets. Additionally, the company plans to expand its national network, remodel existing locations, and open service centers dedicated to maintaining electric vehicles.
Centennial Pep Boys Road Trip celebrations in Puerto Rico included an employee event for the more than 1,000 island residents that Pep Boys employs, during which the company recognized over 30 team members who have worked for the business since the company’s expansion in 1995. Pep Boys also recognized their top performing technician and sales specialist, and awarded a $10,000 scholarship to Jonathan Cotto, a Pep Boys employee and student at Mech-Tech College. The scholarship is part of the company’s overall commitment to award $100,000 to automotive technology students across the U.S.
“Our team members in Puerto Rico are passionate about the business and take great pride in representing Pep Boys, and you see their commitment to excellence and our customer in every location on the island,” said Kaner. “We’re proud to extend the company’s long tradition of supporting our communities, the military and automotive technology education to Puerto Rico and see it come to life as part of the island’s already-vibrant culture.”
Pep Boys was founded in 1921 by Navy veterans and expanded across the contiguous United States before opening its first location in Puerto Rico in the northeastern city of Fajardo in 1995. Additional locations soon followed. Today, with the opening of the Fort Buchanan location, and 2020’s acquisition of six Tecnicentros Mundial locations, Pep Boys operates 34 locations and two distribution centers in Puerto Rico. The company employs more than 1,000 people on the island, including hundreds of highly skilled technicians and knowledgeable parts specialists. For more than two decades, Pep Boys has been synonymous with excellence in service for Puerto Rico motorists as well as an important partner to the local automotive industry. Find a complete list of Pep Boys locations in Puerto Rico at https://stores.pepboys.com/pr.html.
