📋 Summary
- Up Garage is Japan’s best-known secondhand auto and motorcycle parts retail chain, founded in April 1999 by Makoto Ishida, with its first store opening in Machida, Tokyo
- Croooober is genuinely part of the same business, not a separate rival: it started as an online marketplace launched in September 2013, then became the group’s holding company name in 2014, before the whole group was unified under the “Up Garage” name again in 2023
- The chain grew to over 200 stores across Japan by 2019, and expanded into the United States, with UP GARAGE USA established in 2018 and its first physical US store opening in Garden Grove, California in April 2024
- For overseas JDM enthusiasts and exporters, Up Garage is a genuinely useful name to know as a major source of authentic used Japanese-market parts
Not every JDM parts story is about a manufacturer, sometimes the more useful thing to understand is where enthusiasts and exporters actually source genuine secondhand parts, and Up Garage is the single biggest name in that specific space in Japan.
From a Single Machida Store to a National Chain
Up Garage was founded in April 1999 by Makoto Ishida, with the first store opening in Machida, Tokyo, according to the company’s own official corporate history. The chain grew steadily over the following two decades: 50 stores by December 2002, a listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s Mothers market in March 2004, 100 stores by August 2010, 150 by July 2016, and 200 by October 2019. Today the chain reportedly operates over 260 stores, according to industry and interview sources (this specific current figure comes from secondary trade-press accounts rather than an official filed number). Up Garage specializes in used auto and motorcycle parts, everything from wheels and suspension components to interior parts and electronics, a genuinely useful resource for JDM builds where sourcing a discontinued or hard-to-find OEM or aftermarket part matters.
💡 Tip: Up Garage Has a Physical US Presence Now
UP GARAGE USA was established in August 2018, though its first physical US store didn’t open until April 2024, in Garden Grove, California, with a second location following, according to secondary sources. If you’re in Southern California specifically, this may be a more convenient way to browse genuine used JDM parts than importing individually.
Croooober Is the Same Company, Not a Competitor
Here’s a detail worth understanding clearly: Croooober isn’t a separate, rival company to Up Garage, it’s genuinely part of the same business history. Croooober.com launched as an online marketplace in September 2013, and in April 2014, the group restructured through a stock transfer that created a holding company named Croooober Holdings Co., Ltd., meaning “Croooober” became the parent entity name for the group operating the Up Garage stores and marketplace. In April 2023, following further subsidiary mergers, the holding company was renamed again to Up Garage Group Co., Ltd., and the separate Japanese Croooober.com site was folded back into the Up Garage site in 2024. If you’ve seen both names referenced in older material and wondered whether they’re competitors, they’re not, it’s one continuous business under evolving corporate names.
How Up Garage Actually Prices What It Buys
It’s genuinely useful to understand how Up Garage’s buyback and appraisal system works if you’re considering selling parts through the chain, or simply trying to understand used JDM part valuation more broadly. According to the company’s own service materials and independent reporting, Up Garage accepts parts through in-store drop-off, home pickup, or mail-in appraisal via phone, web, or LINE messaging, and critically, appraisal value is based on current used-market demand, condition, exact part number, and model year, genuinely not on what the item originally cost new. Items with particularly strong appraisal potential reportedly include tire-and-wheel sets for prestige brands like Lexus or Mercedes-Benz, and sport-oriented sets sized for high-performance models like the Nissan GT-R, reflecting genuinely strong ongoing demand in specific JDM performance and luxury segments. Customer feedback on actual appraisal amounts is genuinely mixed, with some sellers reporting lower-than-expected valuations and noting apparent variation between individual stores or staff, worth keeping in mind as a realistic expectation rather than assuming any specific part will fetch a predictable price.
Why This Matters for Sourcing Genuine Parts
For overseas builders specifically, understanding that Up Garage is a single, large, continuously operating chain (rather than fragmented independent shops) is useful context: it means consistent inventory practices and a genuinely large combined pool of used inventory across its store network, rather than needing to track down parts through many disconnected small sellers.
⚠️ Caution: Used Parts Require Extra Inspection Before Installation
Secondhand parts, however reputable the source, carry genuine wear and condition variability that new parts don’t. Whether sourcing through Up Garage or any other used-parts channel, inspect (or have a qualified professional inspect) a used part’s condition before installation, particularly for safety-relevant components like suspension or brake parts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Up Garage a manufacturer or a retailer?
A: A retailer, specifically specializing in secondhand auto and motorcycle parts, not a parts manufacturer.
Q: What’s the difference between Up Garage and Croooober?
A: They’re genuinely the same business. Croooober was the group’s holding company name from 2014 to 2023, and an online marketplace name before that; the whole group now operates under the Up Garage name.
Q: Can I buy from Up Garage outside Japan?
A: The company has expanded to the US, with a physical store in Garden Grove, California opened in 2024, alongside online options; check current shipping and purchasing options directly for other regions.
Q: When was Up Garage founded?
A: April 1999, by founder Makoto Ishida, with the first store in Machida, Tokyo.
This article is for general informational purposes based on publicly available company sources; the current total store count is sourced from secondary trade-press accounts rather than an official filed figure. Store locations, inventory, and international availability change over time – always verify current details directly with the company before purchasing.
Image credit: Stack of Used Car Wheels by Ildar Sagdejev, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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