By BEN KLEINE

Staff writer

A former Hillsboro Carquest auto parts manager would toss and turn in sleepless frustration after losing a sale — a customer needing an item the car parts dealer could not provide.

To prevent this from happening, the manager stocked the shelves and storage room of Carquest until the store was nearly overflowing. When a customer walked in the doors at Carquest, they would likely leave with the part they requested.

This was the legacy Bob Williamson inherited and continues at Carquest.

“Our county has more older vehicles and grain trucks than the old city guys have to deal with,” Williamson explained.

Carquest employees were also left with a tiny office, one bathroom, and a location that did not lend itself to walk-ins.

“Every year we’ll get people heading up to the reservoir,” Williamson said. “They’ll ask how long we’d been there not realizing there was a parts store in Hillsboro.”

In their former location, 607 N. Ash St., employees had trouble finding parts because of the perpetual clutter.

Owner Mike Kleiber was faced with two choices: knock down a wall in the old location or move Carquest into a larger building.

He chose the latter and Carquest moved to its new location on Orchard Drive four weeks ago. With the addition of 30 percent more room in the storefront and 50 percent more room in storage, Carquest also gained a second bathroom, brighter lights, a geothermal heating system, and a larger office.

“You can get in and do paperwork without having to trip over the next person,” Williamson said.

Williamson said the move will help Carquest employees better assist their customers.

“We had been out of room for a long time,” Williamson said. “All of our customers seem to be pretty happy; all of them come in and say, ‘wow’.”