EXHIBIT 5.1

                               RIORDAN & McKINZIE
                       300 South Grand Avenue, Suite 2900
                         Los Angeles, California  90071



                                  June 4, 1998



Advance Stores Company, Incorporated
5673 Airport Road
Roanoke, Virginia  24012

LARALEV, INC.
103 Foulk Road
Suite 200
Wilmington, Delaware  19803



          Re:  Advance Stores Company, Incorporated -- 10.25% Series B Senior
               Subordinated Notes due April 15, 2008 -- Registration Statement
               on Form S-4
               ---------------------------------------------------------------
 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

          We have acted as counsel to Advance Stores Company, Incorporated, a
Virginia corporation (the "Company"), and LARALEV, INC., a Delaware corporation
(the "Guarantor"), in connection with the registration under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") of, and the offer to exchange, the
Company's 10.25% Series B Senior Subordinated Notes due April 15, 2008 to be
registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") (the
"Series B Notes"), for its outstanding 10.25% Series A Senior Subordinated Notes
due April 15, 2008.  This opinion is delivered to you in connection with the
Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement") for the
aforementioned Series B Notes and exchange offer, filed as of the date hereof
with the Commission under the Securities Act.  Capitalized terms used herein
without definition shall have the meanings given to them in the Registration
Statement.

          In rendering this opinion, we have examined copies identified to our
satisfaction as being copies of the Indenture, attached as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement, and originals, counterparts or copies identified to our
satisfaction as being true

 
Advance Stores Company, Incorporated
LARALEV, INC.
June 4, 1998
Page 2

copies of such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to
render the opinions given below. We have assumed the authenticity of all
documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to authentic original
documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed or
photostatic copies.

          We have investigated such questions of law for the purpose of
rendering this opinion as we have deemed necessary.  We express no opinion with
respect to compliance with state securities laws or with respect to any state or
federal fraudulent conveyance statutes.

          Based upon the foregoing and subject to the qualifications, exceptions
and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that, when the Indenture
shall become qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and
when the Series B Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantee shall have been duly
executed, authenticated and delivered in accordance with the Indenture and the
exchange offer contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Series B Notes
and the Subsidiary Guarantee will be legally issued and fully paid and
constitute the legally valid and binding obligations of the Company and the
Guarantor, respectively.

          To the extent that the obligations of the Company under the Indenture
may be dependent upon such matters, we assume for purposes of this opinion that
the Trustee is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of its jurisdiction of organization; that the Trustee is duly qualified to
engage in the activities contemplated by the Indenture; that the Indenture has
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee and constitutes the
valid, binding and enforceable obligation of the Trustee; that the Trustee is in
compliance, generally and with respect to acting as a trustee under the
Indenture, with all applicable laws and regulations; and that the Trustee has
the requisite corporate and legal power and authority to perform its obligations
under the Indenture.

          We advise you that certain members of this firm own interests,
directly or indirectly, in a partnership which owns a majority of the stock of
the parent of the Company.

 
Advance Stores Company, Incorporated
LARALEV, INC.
June 4, 1998
Page 3

          We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption
"Legal Matters" in the Prospectus which is a part of the Registration Statement.

                                  Very truly yours,

 
                                  /s/ Riordan & McKinzie