AutoZone Opens 3,000th U.S. Location

    MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 18 Steve Odland, chairman and CEO of
AutoZone today announced the opening of the Memphis-based auto
parts retailer's 3,000th U.S. store.  Located in Cicero, Ill., the new store
marks AutoZone's entry into an elite group of U.S. retailers which have
reached the 3,000-store barrier.

    "For our nearly 22 years of business, we've been a growth company," says
Odland.  "In that time, we've grown from one store in Forrest City, Arkansas,
to 3,000 stores in 42 states and the District of Columbia.  In fact, in just
the last four years, we've doubled our number of AutoZone locations."

    When AutoZone opened its first store in 1979, it changed the way people
bought car parts.  The retailer, founded by a third-generation grocery
wholesaler, introduced to the industry such conventions as shiny floors,
bright lighting and bold, colorful product displays.

    "Prior to AutoZone, the typical parts store was a dusty, dimly lit
collection of badly displayed parts and accessories," says Odland.  "Customer
service was an afterthought, and unless you were a mechanic, you probably
didn't feel welcome.  We changed that.  Our innovative focus on the customer's
shopping environment and exciting product mix has created the demand for 3,000
locations.  We've also achieved significant growth in commercial sales and are
making big strides with our stores in Mexico."

    "Innovation and customer service are the keys to success in retail," says
John Lawrence, retail analyst with Morgan Keegan.  "AutoZone has mastered
both.  Not only did they reinvent a retail category, but they've kept up the
pace, delivering their formula with virtual ease across 3,000 locations."