Advance Auto Parts completes mass closures, plans to open over 100 new stores

Advance Auto Parts has completed the shuttering of approximately 700 stores and now is planning to open at least 100 new locations through 2027, the company revealed exclusively to USA TODAY.

The company's plan to close approximately 500 corporate stores, 200 independent locations and four distribution centers, initially announced in November 2024, was completed sooner than initially anticipated and was part of "transformative actions to reposition Advance for long-term success and value creation," said president and CEO Shane O'Kelly in a news release last month.

The auto parts provider now says it will open 30 new locations in the United States in 2025 and an additional 100 or more new locations through 2027, including larger "market hub" locations.

Some of these market hub locations will open soon in the Midwest, according to the company, and will "increase availability of parts" by increasing the number of products available closer to customers and other local Advance stores. The locations also aim to improve the company's capability with same-day delivery of parts.

Whereas a normal Advance store would typically carry about 25,000 products, the market hub locations will carry between 75,000 to 85,000 products, according to O'Kelly.

Since the beginning of 2025, the company has opened six new stores in Florida, New Jersey, Tennessee and Virginia, with several others soon expected in Illinois, Ohio and Maryland, among other states.

“Advance Auto Parts is on the path to accelerate store growth and focused on the fundamentals of selling auto parts,” said O'Kelly in a news release Wednesday. “We are excited about what’s to come for Advance. Our team members are committed to providing the right parts and the right service for our PRO and DIY customers in their communities.”

Advance Auto Parts also plans to invest in 'better customer experience'

In addition to the new stores opening, Advance also said it is planning additional investments to areas of the business such as equipment, store repairs and improved inventory and delivery.

The company also said it is providing additional training to its staff to improve the customer experience.

O'Kelly said the company is opening stores with more efficient store layouts and a better-curated line of products available, with products better reflecting vehicles in operation around each store.

Retail closures could skyrocket in 2025, experts say

Several companies with brick-and-mortar presences have planned sweeping closures in 2025, including Party City, Big Lots and Joann.

U.S. store closures have totaled 4,314 so far in 2025, according to latest data collected by Coresight Research, a research firm specializing in retail and technology, with 2,898 store openings. This represents about 14% more openings and nearly 152% more closures than a year ago, according to the data.

"A fundamental characteristic of physical retail stores is that they are a predominantly fixed-cost model: As sales rise or fall, stores’ core costs don’t flex proportionate to that demand," said John Mercer, head of global research for Coresight Research, in an emailed statement to USA TODAY Tuesday.

This means that even relatively small declines in sales can mean a store goes from being profitable to loss-making, according to Mercer.

"Meanwhile, retail has seen consumers spend selectively in the after-effects of high inflation and amid prices that many consumers perceive as still-high," Mercer told USA TODAY.

Skylar Chadwick, director of product marketing for Xtime, a Cox Automotive brand devoted to solutions for automotive service departments, points to manufacturer warranties as a possible reason car part retailers may be struggling.

"It’s important to remember that most automakers require cars still under their manufacturer’s warranty to only use OEM (original equipment manufacturer's) replacement parts if the owner of the vehicle wants to keep the warranty intact," Chadwick said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY Tuesday.

"OEM warranties have been extending longer and longer for the past decade, some now extend for 10 years or 100,000 miles on certain systems and components. This expansion of OEM coverage excludes aftermarket auto parts companies like Advance Auto Parts from a big portion of the parts marketplace, even for used cars that still could be under warranty,” Chadwick said in the statement.

How many Advance Auto Parts stores are there?

According to the company, as of December 2024 it operated 4,788 stores primarily in the U.S., with some locations also in Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

With the 700 stores closures, the company now operates approximately 4,000 locations, in addition to 934 independently owned Carquest branded stores across these locations, Mexico and various Caribbean islands.

If you want more information about whether your local Advance Auto Parts store has closed, the company encourages customers to check its store locator on its website.