Macs
 

Here is a story on the sale of Macs building in Lockport NY that was in the Buffalo News yesterday. Looks like they won't be there for very much longer, so being able to have items sent to Lockport and pick them up without paying shipping probably is coming to an end for those of us in Western NY and Southern Ontario. It also provides a history on the company:




Mac's Antique Auto Parts building in Pendleton sold




By Jonathan D. Epstein The Buffalo News
Published August 2, 2019|Updated August 2, 2019




Mac's Antique Auto Parts was decimated in 2016, four yearsafter the source of antique Ford Motor Co. parts was acquired by a Floridacompany.


The new owner moved much of the operation to the SunshineState, leaving only 30 employees behind, in a four-year lease.


Now its longtime warehouse and distribution facility in theTown of Pendleton – much of which is empty – has a new owner with an entrepreneurialhistory, who plans to get a new tenant to reoccupy the vacant space.


Scott M. Cassety – along with his wife, Bridgette – teamedup with Mark Barberio's Alanja Properties to buy the 65,133-square-footfacility at 6150 Donner Road. The buyers, through 6150 Donner LLC, paid $2.26million to Dimax LLC, controlled by Richard A. MacIntosh, the longtime formerowner, president and CEO of Mac's Antique Auto Parts.


MacIntosh had sought for over a year to sell the buildingthrough Tudor Collins Commercial Real Estate before the brokers reached out toCassety. According to Niagara County Industrial Development Agency documents,the Cassetys and Barberio now plan to seek a tenant for 29,000 square feet ofunused warehouse space, representing roughly 44% of the building.


"We have had a lot of tire kickers and inquiries, butnothing solid yet," said Eric Tudor of Tudor Collins Commercial RealEstate.


Cassety, a local angel investor who describes himself as aserial entrepreneur, has been involved with various industries and businessesfor more than 30 years, ranging from real estate management to trucking andmoving companies such as Advanced Storage and Ihrig Moving & Storage.


Mac's is a full-service mail-order retailer that sellsantique and vintage auto parts and accessories for "old, vintage, antique,classic or obsolete" Ford vehicles, from model years 1909-1979.


Originally founded in February 1978 by Douglas McIntosh inhis garage on Locust Street in Lockport, the business started as a Model T partsstore, but grew by the late 1980s to include Model A and other cars, followedby Street Rods, with thousands of parts available through its catalogs.


It moved to Lincoln Avenue, and by 1991 began an expansionstrategy that included the acquisition of Specialized Auto Parts of Houston,with its manufacturing capacity, and then the Auto Hardware Co. of Cleveland.It also added an upholstery line, and Thunderbird Parts of Clarence Center,while expanding its building with a 7,000-square-foot warehouse.


Growth continued under the founder's sons, particularly RickMcIntosh, who became president and CEO by 2003. In 2007, the company moved toits operations center on Donner Road, with more than 50,000 square feet ofstorage and production space on two floors. It also built a 35,000-square-footaddition in 2011. Both times, it obtained 15-year property-tax breaks from theNiagara County Industrial Development Agency.


But in November 2012, the company was acquired by Eckler'sFamily of Automotive Parts, which specialized in Chevrolet and Mercedes-Benzparts. Four years later, Eckler decided to consolidate Mac's with anotheroperation, closing the warehouse and call center in Lockport, and laying offmany employees.


As part of the acquisition of the property, the Cassetys andBarberio took over the two payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements, which still hadfour and seven years remaining on the terms, as well as the mortgage recordingand sales tax breaks, totaling $289,835.


The original property tax agreements were granted "withthe understanding that Mac's Antique Auto Parts would be the occupant" andthat "significant growth" of the company was expected. With thechanged circumstances, the NCIDA also agreed to reduce the employmentrequirements for the building to just 45.

Re: Macs
 

I went to Macs last Wednesday to pick up some parts.
First thing I noticed upon entering was 2 or 3 of the display cars were missing.
I asked the counterperson "what happened to them", the reply was
that "they were removed for mechanical repairs"; kinda suspicious.

Also, a lot of the parts that used to be displayed on the wall were missing.
My parts were on the counter within a minute. Our conversation got around
to the business and the Eckler conglomerate, which brought on a sullen
response without details.

Thinking about it on the way home I felt my trips to Lockport might be
ending in the future. The article in the Buffalo News confirms my feelings.

Re: Macs
 

Is Mac's going to be a reliable place to get mail order parts?

Re: Macs
 

"Mac's Antique Auto Parts was decimated in 2016, four years after the source of antique Ford Motor Co. parts was acquired by a Florida company."

'"The new owner moved much of the operation to the Sunshine State, leaving only 30 employees behind, in a four-year lease."

They consolidated and moved the operation to Florida.

Re: Macs
 

Now owned by a brand X company. Instead of leaving things along, they started changing everything, including part numbers.


And freight charges went through the roof.

Re: Macs
 

"Through the roof" is an understatement. I bought 2 trim clips for my '60 ford to see which one would work. Clips cost about $5, shipping was $20, in to different packages no less! The 2 clips were about the size of a Bic lighter.

Re: Macs
 

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...p;d=1570257657
That is a real pity. Their Shop at Lockport, New York State was very modern, large and attractive with plenty of car parking.

Re: Macs
 

there shipping charges are over the top ,im going to try C&G

Re: Macs
 

Mac's parts that are on e-Bay have horrendous prices on shipping!

Re: Macs
 

I bought a couple of parts from them last week on ebay. I heard that was the way to go for better customer service. The order arrives and it is only half of the order, it turns out two of the parts were coming from Lockport and the other two from Fla but they both have the same tracking number. I contacted them through ebay and got a prompt response that I will be reimbursed for the missing part of the order because they are out of stock. We shall see. Glad I at least ordered through ebay and not from their website. No need to deal with them if there are other choices.

Re: Macs
 

Living in Northern Ontario is costly for getting parts delivered. I ordered a US$10.00 tail light lens for my '46, and the total delivered to the house, including the part, shipping, import duty and the US/Can$ exchange, came to just under C$40.00. I often get E-offers for free shipping, but you have to buy $150.00 to qualify, and shipping to Canada is not included. I see the offer as a strategy to motivate us to buy more parts than we need, just to save on shipping.

Re: Macs
 

I think you will like C&G . Most guys ( myself included ) do . As always , your results may vary .