AI is Out; Real People Revealing the Nitty Gritty Is In.
My name is Amber Kendrick, and since 2016, I’m the third generation owner of Pete’s Auto Parts. For the last few years, I wrote blog posts on our website trying to drive more people to our small business using the Google algorithms – setting keywords and then using them over and over, so if you searched for a “Used Ford engine” Pete’s Auto Parts would show up on the first page. Recently, Google AI changed the way they organize search results, and they are now prioritizing REAL content, instead of listicals that just repeat the same phrase! So in 2026, I am going to shift to writing the real truths about our business. The inside scoop: history, current staff, parts we provide and customers we serve. I don’t know what Google will do with this, but I think it will be more fun to read than “8 ways recycled parts are better for the environment.” Even though they are!
A Little Bit About Us:
Pete’s Auto Parts was started in the 50’s by my grandpa, Pete. My next blog post will be all about him. We are on 8 acres on the border of Jenison and Hudsonville; most of our property is in Georgetown Township but some of it is technically in Hudsonville. My dad grew up in the little white house next door.
A Little Bit About Amber:
I first came to work at the business full time in 2006, when Pete’s Auto Parts was selling 200k a month in used auto parts and had lost money two years in a row. The team and I worked hard and got Pete’s profitable and nearly doubled the sales by 2012. But I left the business, went to manage other companies. I came back to buy Pete’s in January of 2016. The year before I bought the business, the team had grown sales to 475k. Since then we have continued to buy cars, sell good parts for reuse & recycle the rest, and last year we had another record breaking year, in 2025 averaging 760k a month!
The Team is Tops
I am so proud of Pete’s Auto Parts because of our awesome staff. Because of the people who work hard at Pete’s every day, we are able to provide free health insurance. We are able to give Christmas bonuses. We are able to have strong benefits like our 401k matching, uniforms, paid time off, etc. And I know that I couldn’t do that, not by myself, I absolutely rely on the men and women who are answering the phones, draining the antifreeze, bidding on vehicles, arranging the towing of those vehicles, delivering parts all over west Michigan, packaging parts well to ship across the country, etc. Pete’s Auto Parts has an incredible staff, who are smart and hard-working, and you’ll be hearing a lot more about them if you follow along with these blog posts.
Not All Roses
We definitely have our struggles – these terrible low temperatures being one of them right now, we’re in the midst of a January cold snap and it is awful for our poor parts techs to remove car parts from vehicles outside in the yard when the wind chill is in the negatives. But overall, I think Pete’s Auto Parts is an awesome place to work and I’m excited to share more about what we do this year – straight from the heart.
What’s a Blog Without a Little Self Promotion?
I promise these blog posts are going to be a lot more personal, but I still want to let you know where you can find our products, which will save you money and are WAY better for the planet than buying new.
You can reach out to Pete’s Auto Parts by calling or texting 616-669-6592 or you can search our site here on our used auto parts search page. We also have a YouTube channel where we run all of our vehicles. And you can follow us on Facebook for more content.
