Henning selling NAPA, pursuing second career

Construction has started on an empty lot on U.S. Highway 2 between the Cimarron Cafe and Re/Max Mountain View in Columbia Falls. It is the future site of NAPA Auto Parts.

Jeff Henning is the current owner of the Columbia Falls store at 1750 9th Street West, but not for much longer. He is selling all of the assets of the business to the owners of the Kalispell NAPA store, Chris and Debbie Karlberg. NAPA Auto Parts is not a franchise, but an association that distributes auto parts from the manufacturers to the independently-owned stores. The Karlberg’s were unavailable for comment before presstime.

The store will be moving to its new location as soon as the building is complete, sometime in January, Henning said. They have worked out the details of the sale for about a year, overcoming many of the normal challenges of selling a business, he said.

Henning has lived in Columbia Falls since 1992 when he partnered with Karl Skindingsrude to buy the store from Marv Erickson, who still owns the building. NAPA has been in business at the same location since 1962. In 2013, Skindingsrude left the partnership because of health problems and Henning took full ownership.

Henning’s wife, Marsha Henning, works as a para-educator at Glacier Gateway Elementary.

“It’s been rewarding and it’s been great for us. It’s treated us very, very well, so I can’t complain, I’m at a transition where it’s time to move on to something else, and I’m in the position to be able to do that,” Henning said. “With the blessings from my wife, thank goodness.”

After selling his business, Henning will pursue personal training, a side business he has had for a few years. It started when a physical therapist friend got him into weight training and he became more interested in how the body works. Over the last three or four years, he has become certified in sports conditioning, functional training, orthopedic exercise and non-diet weight management through the American Council on Exercise. He works with individuals at Iron Fitness, a 24-hour gym in Columbia Falls. He trains high school students for their specific sport and position on the team. He looks forward to the flexibility of personal training.

“And that’s what I like about it. I have one employee — me,” he said.

Also, he will do more volunteer work and has plenty of hobbies to keep him busy.

“I don’t consider myself retiring, I just consider myself selling one of my businesses,” he said.