Jan. 14, 2021

After nearly a century of family ownership, Sioux Falls-based Sturdevant’s Auto Parts has sold to another family auto parts business in Minnesota.

The new owner is St. Cloud-based Automotive Parts Headquarters Inc., a third-generation auto parts distributor and store group.

“This is a really good opportunity, and the timing is good for both of us,” president and CEO Tim Sturdevant said.

“We have a very similar culture. We’ve shared best business practices for generations, so a lot of our policies line up too.”

While Sturdevant’s ultimately was based in Sioux Falls, the business began in 1922 in Wahpeton, N.D., and Pipestone, Minn.

It grew to 52 corporate locations and 49 independent stores.

The Sturdevant’s locations will be rebranded Sturdevant’s Auto Value and bring the APH corporate store count to nearly 200, plus 80 independent stores.

“It will probably triple our buying power,” Sturdevant said. “It’s exciting for our folks and our customers. We share a lot of the same manufacturers. Products and product lines line up pretty well, and in the paint business our combined volume and buying power should be beneficial to all of us going forward.”

Aftermarket auto parts distributor APH, owned by the Bartlett family, was founded in 1920 in Minneapolis as National Bushing & Parts Co. It now operates Auto Value stores throughout Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin and Michigan.

The two families have known and respected one another for many years, both said.

“Given our history with the Sturdevant family, we are excited and humbled Tim has chosen to sell his business to APH and look forward to building on their strong tradition of quality products, knowledgeable employees and superior service,” Corey Bartlett, president and CEO of APH, said in a statement.

“We are excited to enter these new markets and fortunate to add the Sturdevant’s team to the APH family.”

The combined organization will have almost 2,000 people, Sturdevant said.

“Our people are the key,” he said. “There are a lot of good synergies with us both being family businesses. Their people and our people are pretty much cut from the same cloth.”

While the pandemic and weather changes caused 2020 to start off the year a little rocky, compared to a strong start in 2019, “we caught all back up and were ahead for the year,” he added. “But talk about a crazy year.”

Sturdevant has been working in the business since 1985. His minority partners in some of the stores also exited ownership with the acquisition.

He sold the building at 3305 E. 10th St. as well as a building on North Cliff Avenue that was used to recondition batteries. In retirement, he plans to stay in Sioux Falls and do more with his farming and gardening hobby.

“I’ve got several focuses, primarily around nutrition and raising good, quality food for family and friends,” he said. “And my wife, Nancy, is a good cook, so we’ll hopefully make a good combination going forward.”