Herman Cook’s love affair with cars began in 1956, when Riviera Volkswagen at Manhattan Beach, California, hired him to work in sales. His passion led him to a general manager position and, eventually in 1960 he bought his first VW dealership, El Centro Imports, in the Imperial Valley. Impressed with his abilities, in 1966 Volkswagen granted Herman an Encinitas franchise in 1966 that would soon bear his name.
From the beginning, the dealership proved to be a family affair. When the business was officially founded in 1967, son Dennis, while still in high school, worked by his father’s side. Dennis graduated in 1970 from San Diego State University with a business degree, and then started investing in his father’s dealership. When Herman retired in 1980, Dennis purchased the dealership from him.
The Cook family is committed to their local community with Dennis serving as Rotary Club president and co-directed the Encinitas Rotary Cup Soccer Tournament with his wife, Susan. The dealership is a corporate sponsor of San Diego State Athletics.
Herman Cook Volkswagen strives to excel in the automobile business with highest integrity. The American International Automobile Association rewarded their efforts with a Dealership of the Year award. For the past 20 years, the Auto Club has also recognized them as an AAA Approved Service Facility. The dealership’s pride in a national reputation for customer service only grew with a Business of the Year citation in 2003 from the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce.
The staff at Herman Cook Volkswagen is dedicated to customer satisfaction and personal integrity. To experience first-hand how they build customer loyalty through quality relationships and top-notch service, contact them at 760-753-6256 with any questions or stop by the dealership for a test drive.
