PRINCESS AUTO

Princess Auto Wrecking (PAW) began life in 1933. The original owner sold the company to Harvey Tallman in 1942 for the money he received when he sold his truck.  Harvey began by selling auto parts to customers who came into his small outlet on Princess Street in Winnipeg, Manitoba. By the 1950's, PAW was buying parts in the United States, buying cars all over Western Canada, and Harvey had begun to travel in search of new products needed by farmers across Canada. Most of the products were War Surplus, and it was with those items that the first Princess Auto Catalogue was created.  Eventually, the Princess Street location became too small. The company relocated to a much larger location on the corner of Fort and York and created a small manufacturing division. In time, Shur-Lift Industries would become a major supplier to PAW, which would change its name several times, first to Princess Auto and Machinery, and later, simply to Princess Auto (PAL).  From Fort and York, the company eventually relocated to Panet Road where our Home Office continues to operate to this day.  In 1977, Princess Auto became a retailer, opening its first store in Edmonton, Alberta. Less than a year later, Harvey Tallman decided to retire, leaving the company to his two sons, Larry and Bob.  The retail part of the company grew quickly after that, with stores opening across Western Canada. Larry announced his retirement and sale of his portion of the company to Bob in the spring of 1989.  The company's retail stores have been built by a dedicated group of Leaders and Team Members who are committed to several key things: a unique selection of products, a high level of customer service (Royal Service), and great pricing, which remain the driving forces behind Princess Auto.  Another major initiative begun by Larry and Bob Tallman was the creation of sharing financial information and profit sharing. It has long been a commitment of this company to ensure that the company operates in an inclusive manner with its Team Members.