In 1946, not long after returning from the war, Harry Stein and Walter Sobel opened Mars Stores in Freeport. Two years later, in 1948, the two partners opened a second Mars Stores location in Bay Shore. Harry continued running day to day operations in Freeport, and Wally moved his wife and two boys from Brooklyn out to Bay Shore to run operations there.
Eventually the partnership split and the Freeport store closed, but Mars in Bay Shore grew and was passed on to the next generation. It continues today as one of the oldest and finest parts stores on Long Island.
A true family business, there are Sobels at the counter, in the shop, in the warehouse, and working in the office. Not a day goes by that we don't hear stories from customers about an impossible to find part that Mars magically produced, or memories of when their father or grandfather would bring them to Mars as a child.
Today, Mars sells parts and supplies to car owners, repair shops, farmers, fisherman, dock builders, collectors, truck drivers, and more. We cut drums, rotors, and flywheels. We make custom hydraulic hoses, battery cables, and heavy duty tachometer cables.