The company that owns Western Auto, the vehicle parts and repair chain, says it will no longer service the remaining Western Auto Dealers. Advance Auto Parts says it will help the operators of the 304 independent Western Auto Stores find new suppliers. Western Auto was a Kansas City-based company, founded in 1909 to sell parts for Model Ts through the mail. About 40 people still work in Kansas City. They’ll be offered severance packages and outplacement services. Sears bought western Auto in 1988 and sold it to Advance in 1998.
