It started with a father and son - Charles Francis "C.F." and Charles H. "Chub" O’Reilly. Together they had the courage and confidence to venture out on their own. Along with 11 others who shared the same desire to offer great customer service and auto parts availability, the doors of O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. opened on December 2, 1957.
Now, more than 61 years later, the 77,000-plus team members at O’Reilly Auto Parts are proud of the company’s achievements over the years.
During our early years, we focused on sales and slow and steady growth. At the end of our first year, sales totaled $700,000, and by 1961 volume reached $1.3 million. For the first seven years of operation, there was one store in Springfield, MO, until the second opened in July 1964. In March 1975, annual sales volume rose to $7 million and a 52,000 square-foot facility was built in Springfield for the O’Reilly/Ozark warehouse operation. By that time, the company had nine stores, all located in southwest Missouri.
The long range plans and stability of the company were solidified by a public offering of company stock in April 1993. Since that time, the Company has grown through new store and distribution center openings, as well as numerous mergers and acquisitions. O’Reilly currently operates stores in 47 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, and distribution centers in 27 locations.
Dramatic changes in technology, inventory control, facilities, and sheer size mark the O’Reilly growth and success story. But, it is our spirit of teamwork - how important it was then and how important it remains - that drives our performance. The company’s values and culture that started with the original 13 employee/owners remain evident and strong as we expand and develop Team O’Reilly.
We serve two distinct customer bases - the professional (installer) customers who provide auto repair services to their customers (DIFM - do it for me), and retail "walk-in" customers (DIY - do it yourself). Our dual-market strategy continues to differentiate us from the competition and is a major factor in our ongoing success. Depending on a store’s professional versus retail customer mix, more than 95 percent of our locations have team members dedicated to our professional customers, offering them separate counters, phone lines, and a delivery fleet that totals 18,455 vehicles. We also have a professional sales team, consisting of territory sales managers and in-store sales specialists, responsible for calling on our professional customers and building sound business partnerships to ensure O’Reilly is the First Call for their auto parts needs.