I've been buying parts from them for 45 plus years , sorry to see them close later kb Bratton's Antique Auto Parts 4h · Store Closing I wanted to reach out to the community at large and share some sad news. After almost 50 years in the business Bratton’s Antique Auto Parts has decided to close their retail operations. There were multiple factors involved in making this decision and I will take some time below to outline them. 1) We have lost the lease on our building at 1606 Back Acre Circle. The current owners of the building received an unsolicited offer on the building that was too good to pass up. The new owner’s take possession of the property at the end of October. Bratton has tried to extend the lease with the new owner’s but they need the property for their own business. They have offered us an option to lease back the building until December 31, 2025. Debbie and I have been looking for a property to move the business to for several months, but we have not been able to find a suitable property. 2) Since the end of COVID, we have seen a substantial decline in revenue and a massive increase in overhead expenses (insurance, taxes, utilities…). Both of these situations caused us to let all of our reaming employees go back in July of 2024. Debbie and I have been doing everything here with just the two of us since then. We have decided that we need to rebalance our lives 50-60 hours over 5-6 days a week working just does not allow any time to go out and enjoy our lives. If anything, we have all learned since COVID is that life is too short and we need to make the best of everyday. 3) With the reduction in staff, it is all Debbie and I can do to just keep basic parts in stock, and process the orders. Debbie and I just cannot give our customer the quality of service that Bratton’s has been known for since the mid 1970’s, and that is not how we want the business to be run. 4) By closing our retail operations, it will allow us the time and energy to focus on making the high quality parts that we have always provided to the hobby. The parts that Bratton’s has made will continue to be made through a new company and will only be sold through our network of dealer’s. We have spent the past couple of months quietly shopping Bratton’s around to various buyers who we felt had the capital needed to continue the production of the parts. Unfortunately, we have been unable to reach a suitable agreement with any potential buyers. We did this quietly because we did not want to cause any undue stress or panic to the hobby, or the other vendors selling Model A parts. Going forward we will begin the liquidation process for the retail inventory. Starting in the next couple of days and weeks you will notice the following things. 1) As we sell out of parts we will no longer be re-ordering them, so what is on the shelf is what is on the shelf, and when the bin box is empty, it is empty. 2) We will begin to reduce the prices on our retail inventory. These reductions will be shown our website www.brattons.com and we will be offering across the board discounts on the prices listed on the website. 3) We ask that if you have a gift certificate stashed away that they be used by the end of October 2025. After that, they will no longer be valid. 4) We have removed all drop ship items from our website and catalog. This was done out of respect for our vendors. We do not want to cause any additional burden or stress on them, but offering their products at a much lower price than they are selling them at. This decision has been months in the making, Debbie, and I feel it is the best for us as well as the hobby in general. Between the two of us, we have been in the business for over 55 years collectively. In those years, we have made many friends that we now consider as family. Debbie and I have many fond memories of our children running around the shop, and the journey’s we took all over the country in our Model A. This business and the hobby in general has given us way more than we ever expected or deserved. We have been truly blessed by our time in the business. We offer our sincere thanks and gratitude to our customers and friends for the past 50 years of support. Jeff Kichline Bratton’s Antique Auto Parts
I have been purchasing Model A parts from Bratton's for years, sad to see it go. They have (had) a great catalog also.
Sorry to hear, I’ve bought quite a few items from them. Their catalog is one of best in terms of describing the part and if it is correct for originality. At least they will still make and supply parts to the hobby. These small businesses are really vital for the hobby.
That is a shame. I remember the old days when Walt Bratton himself was on the phone before computers. He was very knowledgable and always eager to answer questions.
That's the important part. At least the parts they made in-house are still going to be available somewhere. Not a total loss that way.
I want to add, even Brattons catalogs were full of good illustrations, and quite often Walts tips on how to install it, or this one is cheap but this one is the best etc. Any time I had a new model A owner over to visit or buy parts I would send them home with an old out dated Brattons catalogue to study. Now...I have none left since the modern world killed the catalogue.
Now someone with good model A knowledge needs to step up to fill the void. And pay an appropriate price value for the stock .
...I agree completely. I'm just not sure that the Model A "world" is as expansive as it was 30 or so years ago. Granted, Bratton's sold parts that hot rodders needed, but I feel that their focus from the beginning was on the restorer and I believe that the wave of folks restoring Model A's may be past its' peak. You know, there's that ROI thing for a potential suitor to consider. It's all very sad indeed, but may just be a sign of the times. Yes, very happy that they plan to continue manufacturing some parts and selling them through their vendor network. Hope it all works out as they have been an asset to the car community for so very long.
The problem is that that would probably have to be someone who is already serously involved in the Model A parts field. It's not something that someone without a serious knowledge of Model A parts can make a go of.
As a side note, I've been waiting for any supplier to have a worm gear for the 2 tooth Model A steering box for like 2 years and they all say "temporarily out of stock". Not a cost issue or a service issue, just nobody has it, and I'd prefer not to waste my NOS sector shaft on a half assed used worm gear. The only ones I seem to find are for right hand drive, which does me no good. That's gonna be the real issue. The car isn't very usable as-is without it, and that one little piece is keeping my otherwise very nice car parked. At this point, it's not a lack of interest/enthusiasm for the car, it's a lack of available parts that's going to keep them off the road.
In the old days it was either J.C. Whitney or Rick's Antique Parts. Today it was Brattons first, then Snyders and Mac's and maybe small vendors who might just have the right part or better part. I did my part as best I could to keep Brattons going. Thanks for being a great vendor!
That stuff from Ricks years ago sure was junk! I still see unopened bags of stuff at swap meets, and I won't give pennies on the dollar for it.
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