VALDOSTA — In a short period of time, the former Donut Depot site was leveled and a new beige, red and green store could be seen. Those who wondered what the brand-new building would hold did not have to wait long. By December, O’Reilly Auto Parts was already opened for business.

The auto parts corporation actually entered the metro Valdosta market in October when a store opened in Quitman at 1206 W. Screven Street. Residents got their first taste of the auto parts chain, one they seemed to like quite a bit. Two months later, a store opened on North Ashley Street and by May another will be opened on Bemiss Road.

Nick Wilson, store manager at the Valdosta location, explained that this is a frequent practice for the chain — to infiltrate an area before moving on to the next.

“That is what (O’Reilly) does, enters an area and sets up stores as they go,” he said. “Most people don’t even know who we are when we get there. But we have never had a store shut down.”

He believes that Valdosta is a fast growing area, one that can certainly support multiple stores.

In almost every case, a new O’Reilly Auto Parts means a brand-new facility. The company prefers to clear land and build to suit. All the stores are similar in appearance and setup; this ensures customers have the same experience at every location.

O’Reilly Auto Parts takes other steps to ensure each customer’s experience is similar at all stores. At checkout, the customer service representative will ask for information, not for a mailing list, but so he or she can record purchase information in a database for the customer’s future reference. If the customer is ever in need of a part they have purchased before, a representative can check the database and see which type was purchased last.

“We are here to help them find whatever they need,” Wilson explained. “We can get the parts we don’t have for customers. If it is out there, we are going to find it.”

People seem to like the well-organized store that offers almost every auto part one could want. Inventory includes name brands on hard parts, liquids, filters, decals, accessories and much more. From engines to spoilers and toolboxes to rims, O’Reilly Auto Parts can fill any automotive need.

All items come with a warranty. Some are 30-day warranties, while others are for 90 days, a year or lifetime.

Low prices could be one reason O’Reilly stores have never closed. In addition to senior citizen and military discounts on hard parts, Wilson explained the low price guarantee: “We do a lot of market research to make sure our prices are competitive, but if any customer finds a like product at a cheaper price, we will match that price.”

Business is what the chain calls 50/50 — half of the customers are professional contractors and the other half are “Do-it-yourself” customers.

Wilson said that his goal for O’Reilly Auto Parts is to expand its market here in Valdosta. “We would like to get more exposure so we can serve more customers,” he said.

O’Reilly Auto Parts was established in Springfield Missouri, in 1957 by a father-son duo, Charles F. and Charles H. O’Reilly. The one store had only 12 employees whose focus was on provide quality parts and excellent customer service.

With more than 1431 stores 49 years later, friendly service is still the number one priority.

“We came from a small ‘mom-and-pop’ store. Our co-presidents were actually workers from the original O’Reilly Auto Parts,” Wilson explained. “We carry a lot of name brands, but products do not matter if a friendly person isn’t selling them.”

The North Ashley Street store just finished its grand opening, but Wilson promises great sales are always going on. For more information about O’Reilly Auto Parts visit the Web site at www.oreillyauto.com.