OUR HISTORY

From Horse Shoes to Tires

Shores NAPA grew out of the small farming community of
Beaver City Nebraska.  The Shores family owned and operated a livery stable in the late 1800's.   The introduction of the automobile meant the eventual end of the era of livery stables.  Torrence Shores and his brothers saw opportunity in the new vehicles and the parts that would be needed to keep them on the road.  The Shores Brothers founded the Rocky Mountain Rubber Company on South Broadway in Denver Colorado.  The new business acted as a distributor of auto parts in a multi state area.  Trucks would be loaded with all manner of parts such as tubes, tires, batteries, belts and hoses.  Many of the parts were purchased from neighboring manufacturer Gates Rubber Company.  The Shores trucks would travel all around Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Nebraska, returning only when empty of supplies.  Goodland Kansas was home to the Smalley Tire store, a customer of the Shores company.  In the fall of 1934 the Goodland tire shop decided to turn the business over to Torrence rather than settle it's mounting debt.  Intending to liquidate the tiny shop Shores spent the fall in Kansas.  Instead Torrence liked the town so well he brought his family and left Denver permanently.  In January of 1935, Shores Brothers Auto Supply, officially opened in Goodland.  Over the years the inventory varied to reflect the needs of the local customers.  Ag parts, auto parts, and hardware have always been staples, but many other products have been sold.  For many years Shores was well known for government surplus.  Torrence Jr. always had a knack for purchasing and a great imagination.  He  often saw value and usefulness in surprising places.  Helicopter lifting slings became tow ropes, ocean buoys became fuel tanks.  Torrence Jr, and brother Norman ran the store from the 60's-80's.  Uncle John Tilly was with them from Denver until his retirement in the early 80s.  Norman then ran the store with his sons Steve and Greg until his death in the mid 90's.  In the early 2000s Steve and Greg both left the store.  The business was sold to Keith Bracelin and reopened.  Keith hired Greg back to help get the store back in order.  Mr. Bracelin saw the need for a store of it's kind and sought to bring back the inventory and quality service Shores Brothers was known to provide.  The business then became Shores Bumper To Bumper.  Greg and Sylvia Shores purchased to business from Keith and Shirley Bracelin in 2015.  With an eye to the future Greg and his crew decided to become an independent NAPA Jobber in October of 2016.  Shores NAPA continues to grow and work diligently to provide valuable service to the  area.  The company can always be counted on to help community projects and help promote Goodland whenever possible.