After 75 years in business, Knecht’s Auto Parts closing down May 31; 8 stores include one in Bend

(Update: Bend store open since 1996; 5 employees offered other jobs

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (KTVZ) – Knecht’s Auto Parts, a family-owned business for over 75 years with eight stores, including one in Bend, has announced it will close down at the end of May.

The first store opened in Springfield in 1947, but Knecht’s CEO Kevin Sabbato told the Register-Guard last week that the company is “no longer sustainable.”

Sabbato said they have seen a drastic change in the retail landscape over the past 20 years, and began to lose market share as other national auto parts stores added Oregon locations.

The company employs about 35 people and has three stores in Eugene, two in Springfield and one each in Cottage Grove, Albany and on North Highway 97 in Bend.

The Bend store, which opened in 1996, employs five people. The company told NewsChannel 21 on Monday that all of the Bend workers have accepted or been offered jobs from other businesses in town.

“We've been involved in the community for 75 years and we've had great support through our customers and our employees, and we couldn't have done it without them,” Sabbato told the paper. “So we are very grateful and thankful for the support on both of those sides.”