Remembering Vincenzo "Jim" Corona
Vincenzo "Jim Corona passed away on July 5, 2007, leaving behind a legacy of hard work, business acumen and commitment to family and community.
Jim got his start in business back in October, 1937 when he opened his used auto parts business on one acre of land at 795 Windsor Street. To finance his venture, now known as "Corona's Auto Parts," Jim had sought a loan from a prominent businessman he knew. The man knew Jim had the intelligence and solid work ethic it takes to succeed in business so he lent him
the money. Jim always credited this man for helping to make his dream come true.
Jim started small. He bought a few cars and took them apart to sell for parts. The oldest of ten children, his five brothers all eventually joined him in the business while his sister, Mary, helped out with the clerical work and bookkeping.
things were really starting to pick up for Corona's Auot Parts in the early 1940's when an event on the other side of the world changed everything. The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. America went to war. Three of Jim's brothers were drafted. He left the business he'd created and nurtured and crossed the ocean to fight the legions of Nazi Germany. He was wounded in the epic Battle of the Bulge and awarded a Purple Heart. In 1946 he returned to civilian life with an honorable discharge.
Jim retunred to Hartford eager to resume his business pursuits. After almost a decade in business, Corona's Auto Parts had built a solid reputation throughout Greater Hartford. The post-war economy was booming. Automobile sales were on the rise and so was the demand for parts to fix all the cars. Corona's flourished.
Jim began searching for a new site for the business that would be able to handle the massive expansion he was planning. In 1949, he found what he was looking for in the South End of Hartford.
He purchased a 23-acre parcel at 606-608 Wethersfield Avenue. The expanded site allowed Corona's to offer a huge variety of used parts. The business took off like a rocket. But Jim never sat back and took it easy. He put in 12-14 hour days and usually worked seven days a week. He was a "hands-on" owner. One minute he'd be dressed in a suit, closing a deal - and the next minute he'd be back in his work clothes, driving the tow truck.
Soon another generation of Cornas came into the picture when Jim's two sons joined the business. One son, also named Jim, took over parts sale and the other, Pat, became yard manager.
Always on the look-out for new ides, Jim grew the business even further by purchasing a car crusher and a three-car carrier in order. This enabled him to sell the left over cars as scrap metal. This added a lucrative revenue stream to Corona's Auto Parts.
when Jim passed away earlier this year, the small business he'd founded up on Windsor Street had become the second oldest auot parts business in the state of Connecticut. In a way, he'd paid back the man who had originally loaned him the money for the business by often selling cars to people based solely on their promise to pay. He wanted to help them realize their dreams just as someone had helped him realize his
Vincenzo Corona died a month short of his 93rd birthday. He kept on working up to his death. Success for him meant never taking a day off.
for publishing this article in their December 2007 issue.