The Retail Divisions
From Apex’s inception in 1924, Pilavin expanded the business to include 16 retail tire and service stores. In 1938, as the retail division grew, Al Pilavin had the idea of expanding the retail division of the Apex Companies by adding to the sale and service of tires and related automotive products by expanding into other related and unrelated categories of merchandise. Pilavin also saw the advantage of separating and expanding the retail businesses from the other businesses, and he created a small retail department store out of the space in the back of one of the manufacturing buildings to sell a wide variety of merchandise including tires and automotive products and appliances. Eventually the retail division became known as Apex Tire & Supply which was an extension of Apex Tire & Rubber Co., and shortly thereafter became Apex Tire & Appliance and then Apex, Inc. This business grew quickly and a few other categories of merchandise were added. and the tire and service centers and the retail department stores grew into the Apex retail divisions still headquartered today in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
As the retail division of the Apex Companies grew, numerous categories of merchandise were added, and Al Pilavin further expanded the retail division by building the original Apex department store on Central Avenue. The Apex Companies continued on with a period of rapid growth in the retail divisions - branching out into the sale of electronics, housewares, domestics, jewelry, sporting goods, clothing and many other departments becoming a regional department store chain and a regional tire and service center chain in New England. Apex, Apexstores.com, the Apex Tire & Service Center and Apex At Home make up the current retail divisions of the Apex Companies still based out of Rhode Island after over 80 years. The retail divisions of Apex still currently operate the original retail store in the Apex Mall located at 100 Main Street, Pawtucket, RI.
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For all inquiries, the Apex Companies can be reached at 401-729-7200.