Back and Up to Speed
By Eric Geisert
Fans of the Pomona, California–based SO-CAL Speed Shop will be happy to hear the business has recently been bought back by the family of the late-Pete Chapouris who, with the cooperation of Alex Xydias (who founded the company in 1946), revived the iconic brand in 1997 to include not only speed and chassis parts for hot rods, but some well-known full-car builds (including an AMBR winner) and a successful line of T-shirts and apparel.
Over the past few decades, SO-CAL Pomona has had several different owners but this new company, PC3 Holdings, includes Pete’s wife (Carole) and other family members who are dedicated to bringing the SO-CAL brand back to the forefront of the hot rod aftermarket industry while still keeping a firm hold on its traditional hot rodding ideals.
The Pomona location has closed, and the new SO-CAL is up and running (continuing the Chapouris family’s ties to the area ever since Pete opened Pete & Jake’s with Jim Jacobs in nearby Temple City in 1974). The other four U.S.-based and two Canadian-based SO-CAL Speed Shop locations are individually owned and operated, and are not affected by this change, and the original (909) 469-6171 phone number and So-CalSpeedShop.com website are still active. SO-CAL Speed Shop will be celebrating its 75th anniversary next year, with upcoming announcements to be released soon. MR
