Information about jcwhitney.com

The release of the Ford Model T in 1907 arguably jump-started America's long love affair with the automobile. We were there right from the beginning. In 1915, our founder Israel Warshawsky opened The Warshawsky Company in Chicago, Illinois. It was a scrap metal yard that salvaged parts from old, disused automobiles to sell them to those who needed replacement parts. Ever the visionary, Warshawsky soon began to purchase failed auto manufacturers with an eye towards retail. He opened his own retail store and began adding new parts to his already growing inventory.

The next big stage of our company's growth came in 1934 when Warshawsky's son, Roy, joined the company. At this time, the Warshawsky wholesale catalog, while very popular, saw distribution limited to the Chicago area. He proposed expanding their influence and soon ads inviting readers to trade in 25 cents for a ìgiant auto parts catalogî started popping up in publications like Popular Mechanics. Response was tremendous, and the JC Whitney catalog was on its way to achieving its status as a beloved reference for serious do-it-yourselfers and automobile enthusiasts.

Roy took the helm from his father in 1943, as the Second World War was in full swing. His inspired leadership and sharp business acumen sustained them during the difficult and trying years of that war. When the guns ceased to fire and the cannons fell silent, JC Whitney enjoyed a booming business where most of the economy was still playing catch-up. As the catalog and loyal customer base began to grow, Roy and his company developed specialty catalogs that targeted specific and key market segment. Hands on and fired up, Roy often spent long hours developing and nurturing the policies and connections that make us who we are today. Indeed, he set the stage for the formulation of what is JC Whitney's unspoken philosophy: only the very best for our customers.

It's a fitting tribute to such a great man that, years after his passing, Roy Warshawsky's company is still the market leader when it comes to product innovation and total customer satisfaction, leading the way to advancement of automotive technologies.

JC Whitney: fulfilling America's automotive needs yesterday, today, and tomorrow.