The Pennsylvania-based purveyor of auto parts and service openedfive of its area stores last year. The company reportedly gave noadvance notice of the closure, leaving 1,500 workers nationwide tolearn about the closures when they showed up to work Saturdaymorning. The state's Bureau of Labor and Industries has beennotified by the company that employees will receive final paychecksFriday. Only two stores remain in the Northwest: in Puyallup,Wash., southeast of Tacoma, and in Everett, Wash., north ofSeattle.

Officials at Pep Boys' Pennsylvania headquarters did not returna call seeking comment Tuesday morning. In a prepared statementposted on the company's Web site, the closed stores were describedas "unprofitable," and the company's overall cost-cutting plan wasdescribed as "a comprehensive profit enhancement plan." The planwould save Pep Boys $70 million a year, according to the statement,which states also that the company still has more than 600 storesoperating in 36 states.

Pep Boys' revenues rose slightly in the first half of the yearwhile earnings were 75% below analyst estimates at $10.8 million,or 7 cents a share. The Company's third quarter results for thethirteen weeks ended Oct. 28, 2000, to be reported on Nov. 10, willinclude an estimated $60 million pre-tax charge to earnings toreflect the required write-down of assets relating to the storeclosures, severance and other related costs as well as costsassociated with the recently completed refinancing of its creditfacilities.