<?php
$host="localhost";
$username="carinfo_admin";
$password="mypwrod";
$database="carinfo_listings";
$conn = mysql_connect($host,$username,$password) or die(mysql_error());;

$query  = "SELECT `id`, `firstname`, `item`, `price`, `city`, `desc`, `email`, `phone` FROM listings LIMIT 10";
$listings = '';
if($result = mysql_query($query)){
    if(mysql_num_rows($result)){
        while($row=mysql_fetch_assoc($result)){
            $listings.="
                        <div class=\"addText\"><a href=\"#\"><em><strong>{$row['item']} - Part #{$row['id']}</strong></em></a>
                <p>{$row['desc']}</p>
                <p><span>Contact:</span> <a href=\"mailto:email\">{$row['firstname']} - {$row['phone']}</a><br />
                  <span>Part Type: </span>{$row['item']}</p>
              </div>";//endlistings
        }//whileres
    }//ifrows
}//ifquery
?>

Then below I echo the listings variable:
<?php echo $listings;?>