Indoor Auto Recycling
for Working Families
The Story
I started Select Auto Parts because Milwaukee needed someone willing to take the cars nobody else wanted and turn them into something families could afford to drive.
Fourteen years ago, I found an abandoned warehouse on Milwaukee's north side. 125,000 square feet of nothing. No investors. No business loan. No safety net. Just faith and a plan.
I bought that building and turned it into Wisconsin's only fully indoor automotive recycling facility. Every vehicle that comes through our doors gets dismantled, catalogued, and given a second life. We are one of the only Black woman owned auto recyclers in the nation.
We did not copy the traditional salvage yard model. We built an operation around protecting the parts, the workers, the customers, and the surrounding community. Fourteen years later, the model works.
What We Do
We Acquire
We acquire end of life vehicles from insurance companies, tow operators, and individuals across the Milwaukee area. Vehicles that would otherwise sit abandoned or go to waste.
We Recover
Every vehicle is dismantled indoors. Usable parts are cleaned, tested, and catalogued. Steel, aluminum, plastic, rubber, and glass are separated for recycling. Fluids are handled through proper channels.
We Return
Recovered parts go back to working families and repair shops at affordable prices. Over 455 verified repair shops depend on our inventory. Thousands of parts returned to circulation each year.
Measurable Impact
Environmental
- 7 million+ pounds of automotive material recycled
- 1,700+ vehicles diverted from landfills since 2012
- 20,000+ parts in inventory, ready for reuse
- Indoor handling helps reduce the risk of fluid and material exposure to surrounding land
- Steel, aluminum, plastic, rubber, and glass recovered and returned to the economy
Economic
- 455+ verified repair shop accounts
- Affordable parts for working families
- 3,000 active online listings serving nationwide buyers
- $3.7 million+ in earned revenue since inception
- 10 employees
Workforce and Community
- 35+ workforce participants trained
- Partnerships with Milwaukee Area Technical College, Goodwill Industries, and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
- Employment pathways for individuals with disabilities
- Black woman owned leadership in an industry where representation is rare
- Located in a community that needs both environmental and economic investment
What Makes the Indoor Model Different
Controlled Processing
Vehicles are handled inside instead of sitting outdoors in Milwaukee weather. Rain, snow, and sun do not damage the process.
Protected Parts
Recovered inventory stays cleaner and usable longer because it is never exposed to the elements. Parts sit on organized shelving, not in the mud.
Environmental Handling
Materials and fluids are separated and handled through proper recycling and disposal channels, reducing the risk of contamination and unnecessary waste.
Structured Workflow
Vehicles move through evaluation, dismantling, cataloguing, storage, and sale in a systematic flow. Every step is documented.
Better Working Conditions
Employees work in an indoor facility rather than in rain, snow, and extreme temperatures. We built around protecting the people, not just the parts.
Why It Matters
In Milwaukee, if your car breaks down and you cannot afford the repair, you can lose your job.
That is not a hypothetical. That is real. Affordable recycled parts keep people working. They keep families moving. They keep cars on the road instead of in a landfill.
Every vehicle we process prevents waste and creates opportunity. The steel, aluminum, plastic, and rubber go back into the economy. The parts go to families who need them. The jobs go to people who need a chance.
We have proven the model works. Now we need support to do more. More vehicles processed. More parts recovered. More workers trained. More families on the road.
This is a working business model with a clear mission, measurable results, and room to grow.
Moving More Parts Into Circulation
Select Auto Parts has more than 20,000 recovered parts in inventory, but only 25 percent have been photographed and made available online. Our current project will add dedicated inventory support, improve digital cataloguing, increase vehicle processing capacity, and expand workforce training.
What Support Will Fund
- Inventory and listing specialist
- Product photography and cataloguing
- Inventory technology systems
- Vehicle processing equipment
- Workforce training expansion
Expected Return
- More recovered parts sold and reused
- More affordable repair options for families
- More vehicles responsibly processed
- Faster order fulfillment for shops
- More workers trained
- Increased earned revenue that sustains the work
Awards & Recognition
Select Auto Parts & Sales
An environmental sustainability company that happens to sell auto parts. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Black woman owned. Founded 2012.
All figures based on company operational records maintained since 2012.