AutoZone History: Founding, Timeline, and Milestones - Zippia (2024)

On July 4, 1979, the first store opened in Forrest City, Arkansas under the name of Auto Shack.

The chain continued to grow quickly with the addition of another 23 stores in 1980.

By 1981 Auto Shack had opened 45 stores, and by the following year the number was up to 74, all within its core market area.

In 1981, Express Parts or VDP is implemented to get the customers hard to find parts by special ordering them through wholesalers.

The Memphis warehouse was expanded in 1982 to accommodate the rapid expansion.

In 1983 Auto Shack again expanded in numbers of stores, growing to 139 outlets, and in geographical scope, adding outlets in Georgia, Arizona, Illinois, and Louisiana.

In 1984, the company became the first auto parts retailer to create a quality control program for its parts.

Hyde sold a majority stake in Auto Shack to investment banker Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR). Another 68 units opened in 1985.

In 1985, Doc Crain coined the term WITTDTJR, which stands for "What it takes to do the job right." Total store count is 263 in 14 states.

The company's telemarketing operation, Express Parts Service, logged its one millionth call, and an additional service, an Electronic Catalogue, was brought on-line on October 1, 1986, at the company's Bellevue store in Memphis.

1986 - The first Extra Miler award is awarded to Memphis manager Darren Reltherford.

In 1986, the firm created a lifetime warranty program for 42,000 of the parts it sold.

By 1986, expansion had made the company grow into a large store chain across the South and the Midwest.

In June 1988 the company unveiled its own line of auto products, developed by its product managers, under the trade name ADuralast.

Overall, AutoZone had 470 stores in 16 states by the end of 1988, and it served a total of 47.7 million customers in that year alone.

In 1989, the company began using a computerized store management system (SMS). The Duralast battery line is released consisting of Sub-Zero, Desert and long life.

By 1990 AutoZone had expanded into two additional states, opening stores in Utah and Indiana, for a total of 539 outlets.

In December 1991 AutoZone held its first shareholders' meeting, at which the company was able to announce that gross revenues had increased more than 20 percent in the previous year to reach $818 million.

Also in 1991, AutoZone introduced an electronic Store Management System that allowed prices to be bar-coded and scanned at checkout counters, thus speeding up customer transactions.

In September 1992 KKR announced that it would sell an additional 2.3 million shares of AutoZone to the public in an effort to increase the company's financial liquidity and reduce the swings in the price of its stock.

In 1992, sales exceeded $1 billion for the first time.

In 1992 the company upped its number of stores to 678 and made its first move into Wisconsin.

More openings were made in another Midwest state, Michigan, in 1993.

The firm's efforts, in 1994, to acquire 25 stores owned by Nationwise Automotive Inc. were thwarted by a higher bid from Western Auto Supply, a division of Sears, Roebuck & Co.

A satellite system, put in place in 1994, allowed employees from one store to set aside merchandise at a nearby stores to ensure that customers could purchase the parts they needed even if they were out of stock at a certain store.

In 1994, AutoZone began using satellites to facilitate communication between stores and the corporate office.

In 1995, AutoZone opened its 1,000th store in Louisville, Kentucky.

In 1996 AutoZone expanded its consumer target to include commercial customers, such as professional automotive technicians and service stations.

1996 was the year when the Internet era arrived at the company, when AutoZone opened its company Web site.

When ESL Investments, which purchased its initial stake in AutoZone in 1997, upped its share to 16.27 percent, it became the largest shareholder of AutoZone.

Company founder Pitt Hyde retired as chairman and CEO in 1997.

1999 - AutoZone makes the Fortune 500 list for the first time.

Six more new stores were opened in Mexico in 1999.

At the commencement of fiscal 1999, AutoZone made another acquisition by purchasing 100 Express stores from The Pep Boys—Manny, Moe & Jack.

In 2001, the firm posted record revenues of $4.8 billion.

Auto-Zone began to add more accessory products, such as sunglasses and decorator floor mats and seat coverings, to its stores in 2001.

Also in 2001, AutoZone sold TruckPro to Paratus Capital Management.

In 2003, the Duralast tool line was introduced.

2004 - AutoZone founder, Pitt Hyde is inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.

2008 - Z-net® is launched in AutoZone stores.

In 2008, AutoZone opened their 4,000th store in Houston, Texas.

2010 - AutoZone launches the iPhone and Android AutoZone Smart phone Apps.

By April 2017, AutoZone had been the largest retailer of automotive parts in North America for three consecutive years.

Memphis, TN

Pitt Hyde,Joseph Hyde III