The battery expert team at Interstate Batteries in Corpus Christi are (from left) Jon Groves, Andrew Martinez, Andrew Arismendez, owner J.D. Jones and Sammy Shirley. If you need a battery, Interstate Batteries has it, Jones says. Photo by Carrie Robertson Meyer/Third Coast Photo
If it’s a battery, Interstate Batteries in Corpus Christi has it. Once known for delivering vehicle batteries wholesale to retailers, in the age of the electronic device, Interstate Batteries has expanded into over-the-counter sales of all things battery.
With the holiday season in full swing, store owner J.D. Jones has a word of advice for all the secret Santas out there buying and wrapping electronic, battery-driven presents.
“Be the guy with the batteries,” Jones said with a smile. “Don’t be the guy who has to run to the corner store for batteries on Christmas Day.”
Along with the ubiquitous AA, AAA, C and D cells, Interstate Batteries stocks batteries for smartphones, watches, lawn mowers, boats and RVs. Even the hardest-to-find batteries can be found at the store, 4903 Ambassador Row. It also carries cable ends and chargers.
“Our most popular batteries are still the car batteries, but the cellphone batteries are really coming on,” Jones said. “What I like about it is that people coming in here are in a hurry, sometimes having a bad day — nothing works. Within 10 to 15 minutes, we can get them back on their way, happy, problem solved.”
His staff of trained experts, keep up to speed on the latest in batteries and can help customers find the right one and install it on site.
Interstate Batteries has been in Corpus Christi for 60 years. As the owner for the past 15 years, Jones experienced firsthand the dramatic change in the world of batteries. The Lubbock native took over the company when most of its business was wholesale. He had worked for the company at an office in Dallas. When the Corpus Christi store became available, he bought it.
“I love to hunt and fish,” he said. “So I jumped at the chance to live in Corpus Christi.”
About nine years ago, he expanded the business into retail sales.
“I’m too young to be threatened by change,” he said. “We all lead a portable lifestyle today. We all carry a computer with us, although most of us call it a cellphone. It’s become part of our lives, and it’s critical to have that up and running all day — to be plugged in.”
Jones is also not threatened by a trend to have devices that plug into the wall and charge themselves — those devices that do not have batteries that pop out and can be easily replaced.
“When the market moves more toward that, I’ll send my employees to training,” he said. “We’ll be able to help customers with that as well.”
In fact, Jones said he can’t imagine a world without batteries.
“Cars are moving from being charged by batteries to being powered by them,” Jones noted. “The way it’s going today, even more devices will be powered by batteries.”
The one thing most people don’t know about batteries, he contended, is where to get them.
“I have people come in here saying they ran all over town looking for a battery I had sitting right here,” he said. “You don’t need to run around town or track it down on the Internet. Come here.”
Interstate Batteries is located at 4903 Ambassador Row in Corpus Christi. Call (361) 854-5000 to see if they have the batteries you need.
