Pearl Road Auto Parts
Pearl Road Auto Parts is a legend in the Cleveland area. Mostly because of the large neon sign hanging over I-480 eastbound that reads “Atomic Playground”. Then there were the ads in the free magazines around the city with a simple black and white layout. They read “Pearl Road Auto Parts, the Poet’s Junkyard”, with a phone number. Why the poet’s junkyard you ask?
Legend has it, and it may be urban legend at this point, that the previous owner (institutionalized to this day) of the junkyard used to hold poetry readings in the junkyard at night, right among the busted out cars and strewn about car parts. The night was called the Atomic Playground. Now my mother claims she went to these poetry readings back in the day, but I’m not sure if I believe this or not.
Anyway, the junkyard is exactly that – a junkyard in the oldest sense of the word. Car parts, car parts and more car parts. And at a reasonable price.
At least drive by and see the sign if you don’t need any car parts – get on I-480 at Ridge Road and go east. Can’t miss it.
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