Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
How would you like to go to the grocery store. . . for auto parts?
While his business is not actually a grocery store, Chris Mantas tells me his Salt Lake City-based company, Tear a Part, is similar to one because clients can walk through rows of cars to find the parts they need for a discounted rate. Tear a Part purchases cars that have reached the salvage point, removes all hazardous materials and then sets the cars out on a lot where customers can walk through the vehicles and select the parts they need.
The business also picks up a scrap vehicle from someone's home. Thus far, he says that tires are the top-selling product, but in the tough economic climate of the last two years, he has noticed more people taking care of their cars to avoid replacing them. Chris has also been doing his best to make his facility as green as possible not only by properly disposing of hazardous materials in vehicles but also by getting rid of Mercury switches, which can present a safety risk.
Tear a Part originated with Chris' father, Pete Mantas. Pete came to the United States from Greece at the age of nine. He received training from the local community college to become an auto mechanic then worked in the parts department for several car dealerships. In the early 1980s, Pete opened a car parts business, sold it and then started a second company. He brought his three sons into the company that eventually became Tear a Part in 2001.
Today, Chris is Tear a Part's chief executive officer. The company has experienced phenomenal growth over the years, growing from 200 cars per month when it first launched to around 1300 cars per month. He prides himself on the cleanliness and order of the facility as well as the high level of customer service that includes a 30-day cash back guarantee on all parts. Eventually he would like to expand into additional locations, but for right now, he plans to wait until the economic situation improves.
