If you’ve ever shopped for tires, needed an oil change, or driven past an auto repair shop in the United States, chances are you’ve seen the Pep Boys name. The automotive service chain is known for its familiar logo featuring three cartoon men, but the story behind the name is more unusual than you might expect.
Despite what the logo suggests, Pep Boys wasn’t originally founded by three men named Manny, Moe, and Jack. The business started with four partners in Philadelphia in 1921, and its name came from an automotive product and a local police officer who reportedly sent motorists looking for replacement parts their way. Here’s how a small auto supply store developed one of the most recognizable names in America’s automotive aftermarket.
Pep Boys Started With Four Founders In Philadelphia
The story began in August 1921, when four friends pooled their money to open an auto parts store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Emanuel Rosenfeld, Maurice Strauss, W. Graham Jackson, and Moe Radavitz each contributed $200, giving the business an initial investment of just $800.
The store was originally called Pep Auto Supply Company. At the time, automobiles were becoming increasingly common, creating growing demand for replacement parts and maintenance supplies. The founders saw an opportunity to serve motorists who needed affordable, accessible automotive products.
Their business was small compared with the national operation the name would eventually represent. However, their decision to focus on automotive supplies helped establish the foundation for a company that would grow alongside America’s car culture.
How Did Pep Boys Get Its Name?
The word “Pep” reportedly came from a shipment of Pep Valve Grinding Compound that the founders noticed in their store. Rather than inventing a name from scratch, they used the product’s name as inspiration for their new business.
The “Boys” part has an equally interesting origin. According to the company’s traditional origin story, a Philadelphia police officer regularly stopped motorists for equipment violations and directed them to the nearby shop to purchase the parts they needed.
The officer reportedly told drivers to go see “the boys at Pep.” The phrase caught on, eventually giving the business the name Pep Boys.
It’s a memorable example of how an everyday interaction helped shape a brand identity that would last for generations. What began as a straightforward auto supply store ended up with a name that was catchy, easy to remember, and closely connected to its customers.
Who Were Manny, Moe, And Jack?
Although the familiar logo features three men, the original business had four founders. Manny, Moe, and Jack became the faces of the brand, but their names have a more complicated history than the logo might suggest. Here’s how the names fit into the company’s early story:
Manny: Emanuel Rosenfeld, one of the original four founders.
Moe: Maurice Strauss, another founding partner.
Jack: W. Graham Jackson, who was part of the original partnership.
Moe Radavitz: The fourth founder, who eventually left the business and wasn’t represented in the familiar trio.
The three-name branding reportedly came after Strauss visited California and noticed a local dress shop called Minnie, Maude and Mabel’s. Inspired by the idea of using first names in a business title, the partners adopted “The Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack.”
There’s another twist: The faces in the company’s famous logo don’t precisely match the three men named in its branding. Jackson eventually left the business, and Strauss’s brother, Isadore “Izzy” Strauss, took his place in the company’s illustrated trio. The Jack name, however, remained.
That means the cheerful characters that became synonymous with Pep Boys were shaped by changes in the company’s early partnerships, rather than being straightforward portraits of three lifelong business partners.
How Pep Boys Grew Beyond Its Original Store
Pep Boys gradually expanded beyond its Philadelphia beginnings as demand for automotive parts and services grew. The business eventually developed into a major automotive aftermarket retailer, offering products and services that went beyond the replacement parts sold at its first location.
The company also expanded into California during the 1930s, helping establish its presence beyond the East Coast. Over the following decades, Pep Boys grew into a familiar destination for drivers seeking tires, maintenance, repairs, and automotive accessories.
Its branding played an important role in that growth. The Manny, Moe & Jack characters gave the company a recognizable identity that stood out in a competitive market, while the name itself retained a connection to the business’s humble beginnings.
Today, Pep Boys continues to operate as an automotive service and tire business, continuing a legacy that began more than a century ago. Its history reflects the evolution of America’s car culture, from the early days of widespread automobile ownership to today’s complex vehicle maintenance needs.
Drivers Remember Pep Boys And Its Famous Trio
Pep Boys’ legacy extends beyond its unusual name. In a 2023 discussion on r/nostalgia, Reddit users reminisced about the chain’s stores, recognizable Manny, Moe, and Jack branding, and memories of shopping there. Some commenters said their local locations were still operating, while others described stores that had changed or closed, reflecting how the brand’s presence has evolved over the years.
The company’s iconic characters also remain memorable for longtime customers. In a 2025 discussion on r/GenerationJones, users recognized the familiar trio, with some joking about their appearance. Meanwhile, a 2021 thread on r/philadelphia discussing Pep Boys’ centennial and its former headquarters prompted playful references to Manny, Moe, and Jack.
For many people, Pep Boys represents more than an automotive retailer: it’s a reminder of local parts stores, DIY car maintenance, and an era when its three illustrated characters were a familiar sight.
Pep Boys Is Entering A New Chapter Under Mavis
Pep Boys’ story is continuing under new ownership. On August 20, 2026, Mavis Tire Express Services completed its acquisition of Pep Boys from Icahn Enterprises in a deal worth approximately $700 million in cash. The move brings nearly 800 Pep Boys locations into Mavis’s growing automotive service network, significantly expanding its presence across the Western United States.
Despite the ownership change, the familiar Manny, Moe & Jack is here to stay. Pep Boys will retain its brand identity as part of the Mavis family of businesses, allowing the company to build on its more than century-long history while benefiting from a larger service network. Mavis says the combined business now operates more than 4,400 service center locations across the United States and Canada.
The acquisition also marks a shift for former owner Icahn Enterprises, which will retain certain real estate assets along with its AAMCO Transmissions and Precision Tune Auto Care businesses.
For Pep Boys, the next challenge is turning the expanded corporate backing into continued customer service and growth. Whether that means changes to operations or new opportunities for customers remains to be seen, but the brand’s recognizable name is staying in place for now.
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