South Adams Motor Parts/NAPA

In the fall of 2012 the NAPA store relocated from the building located across from Berne Community Market to 566 US 27 South.

NAPA Auto Parts _ South Adams Motor Parts was honored recently for its business contributions to the auto parts industry of the local area. The auto parts store is located at 1016 U.S. 27 South in Berne. The growing business received recognition from the Berne Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon cutting and presentation of the Chamber’s "Member of the Month Award."

Original store owner Brad Glentzer, president, said the business started in Portland in 1851. Eventually, when his father owned the business, he asked Brad to consider managing the store. In time, he purchased the business from his father. His son Matt has now continued the family business and is the current owner.

Recently, the store moved from a site on U.S. 27 North where it had been located for nearly 25 years to a more visible presence along U.S. 27 South. "We had the opportunity to move someplace where we had more of a visible presence," said Glentzer. "This is a smaller building but we look to expand in a few years”. "What got us in this area was that we would take vehicles through this town every day when we went to purchase items in Fort Wayne," said Glentzer. "We called on major businesses in town that would be able to use our products on a regular basis."

Things opened up quickly and these days NAPA Auto Parts is running a successful business both for retail and wholesale customers. "My father was member of the year," said Glentzer. "We acquired the business from him. I love the feeling of people interacting with the people."
Much of the business expansion in recent years has been in the area of schooling and acquiring more knowledge about vehicles and parts. "We send our people to school all of the time," Glentzer said. Glentzer said that he and staff members are constantly going back to school for new knowledge and updates about the current items.

Glentzer's son, Matt, who currently serves as sales manager, started working for his father's business in 2000 and looks to eventually purchase and take over the store and is currently in charge of doing sales, ordering products and pricing. “Matt was able to bring a lot of qualities into the business that has kept pricing down," commented Brad. "Besides, we are not a franchise. We do not belong to NAPA; we just happen to specialize in their products. We can sell anything here that we would like."