In 1952, Carl and Edna Fjordbotten started an automotive accessories store at 315 Columbia Street, New Westminster, called Western Accessories. Three years later, they opened a second store on another busy thoroughfare, at 3398 Kingsway. Carl reasoned they were appealing to customers who drove cars. The stores needed to be seen by the driving public.

Edna worked in the Kingsway store and then moved into the office in New Westminster where she continued to work for 35 years. Their daughter, June, worked in the New Westminster store for many years handling the advertising and promotions department.

As Western Accessories sold auto supplies, they were approached on a regular basis by racers needing sponsors for their race cars. In the 1950s, several cars racing at Digney Speedway bore the Western name.

When Mission Raceway opened in 1965, the Western name appeared on many of the race cars. Drag racing was popular, and both racers and fans were eager to buy engine parts, speed equipment, floor shifts, etc. as well as the latest in dress up kits and fads of the day. Hubcaps, new aerosol spray paint

WESTERN ACCESSORIES - Inducted 2002

Supporter

by Doug Harder, 2004, updated 2006

Western Accessories display at 1966 car show  (Doug Harder collection)

cans, chrome exhaust pipes and popular chrome items from California were soon found on many local cars. Western Accessories was the main sponsor for the Horton Keilling and Benz car, a competitive 1947 Chev Coupe and then a white 1957 Chev sedan.

Another racer secured the Western name as a main sponsor. Dale Hunt, with his wild Willys pickup truck painted bright red, became a star. Carl had window decals made up showing the Willys doing a wheel stand. These decals were probably the most popular decal of any auto product in BC Even after Dale was no longer racing under the Western banner, the decals were as popular as ever and became Western's trademark for years to come.

At age eight, Carl and Edna’s son, Glenn started working in the warehouse,

and at 12 he became the youngest member of their sales team. Glenn went on to manage the store on Marine Drive, North Vancouver. Many years later the store was closed after three fires in the building.

As traffic in Vancouver increased, it was impossible for anyone to stop in front of the Kingsway store, so Western Accessories moved to Boundary Road and Joyce. While the store was somewhat smaller, they were more accessible to the traffic. The New Westminster store, with huge warehouse facilities upstairs, closed in 1991. They also now had a store in Langley.

Glen moved the business to 192 Street, just off the Langley bypass. He established a wholesale business selling auto parts to other businesses and garages all throughout Western Canada. Lloyd Gregorowich, owner and operator of "Good Times Auto Accessories", bought the business from Glen. Since then, Glen has bought the business back once again The Company was 50 years old in 2003. Glen opened another business in 1998, “Parts in Paradise”, selling hot rod tee-shirts.