Prairie Grove Auto and Farm Supply
Owners: Larry and Karen Crawley
Location: Prairie Grove, Ark.
History: Larry said, “I have been in auto parts since I graduated from high school because I like it and it taps into my strengths of having mechanical ability with a very good memory for part numbers. A parts store in town wanted to get out of business, so Karen and I bought it and moved into our new building within a month after we fixed it up. Because ours is a country town, we added farming parts which is a good portion of our business.”
Products and Services: “Our customer base is not only those wanting to fix their own cars but also many hobby farmers who have older equipment they fix themselves and other businesses who need parts to service customers. Newer cars and tractors often have to go back to the dealerships because of the complexity of the newer systems. Our typical customer comes in for five gallons of hydraulic oil and some replacement hoses and will pick up stuff for his cars and trucks at the same time. These hobby farmers have to have mechanical skills and do their own repair in order to make money. Also, regardless of how complicated systems get, there will always be parts and pieces that are not electronic.”
Story and Photo by Terry Ropp
