Why are There So Many Auto Parts Stores in the Hudson Valley?

If you've been driving around the Hudson Valley lately you have probably noticed that there seems to be new auto parts stores popping up just about everywhere. Do we really need that many?

On a five-mile stretch of Route 9 in Dutchess County between Poughkeepsie and Wappingers Falls there are at least five auto parts stores either open or opening soon. An Advance Auto Parts store is under construction across from the Casperkill Country Club, while another Auto Zone is being built in the Dutchess Shopping Plaza in Wappingers Falls. The location is right across the street from another Advance Auto Parts store and just two miles away from the other Auto Zone in front of the Poughkeepsie Galleria.

Aside from the Route 9 chains, there's also a Carquest Auto Parts Store, a Royco and other independent locations to purchase auto parts within the same stretch of Dutchess County. And we're not even counting stores like Target, Sears and Kmart that also sell auto supplies, as well as pretty much every gas station and service center in the area. It makes one wonder if car parts are really in such a high demand or if something else is going on here.

Well, it looks like you can blame some of it on the economy. When money is tight people tend to put off purchasing a new car and cut costs on keeping their old car running by doing simple repairs by themselves. The Driving Sales website also credits low gas prices as a reason for the proliferation of these auto parts stores. More people are driving longer distances, putting more wear and tear on their already aging vehicles.

Auto parts are also unique in the fact that people tend to still buy them from the store instead of ordering them online. If you need windshield wipers or a new battery you're more likely to want them right away, opting for a visit to the store instead of waiting for them to be shipped by Amazon.

And finally, anyone who's in the car repair business can tell you that the mark up on auto parts is insane. Items that cost pennies to make can be sold for big bucks, making a profit that can easily sustain several locations in a small area.

But even taking all of these factors into consideration, do we really need an auto parts store on every block in the Hudson Valley? If anyone has the answer to that question, maybe you can also find out why there's five mattress stores within walking distance from my house.