Inside the Showroom
Auburn Valley Cars
Auburn Valley Cars owner Tito Roempke, left, and son Kirk Roempke, the dealership's general manager.
The entire Auburn Valley Cars staff.
From left, Stuart Krumm, Hyundai sales manager; Anthony Quiamas, Mitsubishi sales manager; Armondo Roman, Mazda sales manager; Tito Roempke, owner; Kirk Roempke, general manager; Dan Ross, Suzuki sales manager; Raymond Shell, KIA sales manager; and Bob Heeter, finance manager.
How long have you been in the business?
Tito Roempke, owner: 33 years in Auburn.
How many stores do you have?
Roempke: Five.
What made you decide to get into this business?
Roempke: Always had a love for cars. I was born in Germany and worked for Volkswagen as a technician. VW relocated my family to the U.S. and after several years I went on my own. I started with 11 franchises in the Midwest - all European, from Ferrari to Fiat, Lotus, Saab and many more. I decided to retire at the age of 40 and get out of the car business and relocated to Washington State, where my parents were located. The car business tends to get in your blood, so before you know it I was back in the car business for my second life - but this time with the imports from Japan. Mitsubishi came into town back in the early 1980s and we were the first to take it on the West Coast. Just like before, expansion was my game and we started to grow. A couple of years later Mazda was available and I became a Mazda dealer in 1986. Hyundai came to town in 1989 and KIA was introduced in Auburn in 1994 and the last of the acquisitions was Suzuki in 1998. The car business is in my DNA and is in our family, which extends to my son and his family. Just as I worked from nothing, I watch my son take over and introduce his sons the same way I watched him work when he was younger. Washing cars is where it all starts.
How many family members are working here?
Roempke: My son Kirk and my grandsons Hunter and Austin, who are washing cars.
What do you like best about running an auto dealership?
Roempke: The car business is about people - from the employees to the customers - and it’s all about taking care of customers’ needs.
What makes this dealership unique?
Roempke: This dealership is unique for several reasons. One, it is a family dealership and not a corporate identity; second, it is like an import shopping center, no one has fi ve makes to compare and shop all at the same location. That’s why we earned the name “The Giant of the Valley” - remember it’s all about the customer and what fi ts the needs the best.
What’s the most signifi cant change in the industry that you’ve experienced?
Roempke: The car business is ever changing. The customer is now able to research their new vehicle from the convenience of their own living room. Who knew the Internet would change our business so drastically? We made a big investment into the Internet and the ease of finding information helpful for customers. I feel we are 10,000 miles ahead of what we were able to do in terms of customer contact and follow-up. We pride ourselves on staying with our customer base and making sure they have all the choices.
What was your first car?
Roempke: My first car was a 1957 Austin Healy.
What do you drive now?
Roempke: I love Mitsubishi and I enjoy driving a 3000GT Spyder.
If you were not in the auto industry, what would you like to be doing?
Roempke: Like I said before, the car business is part of my DNA. I can’t imagine not being in the car business. The Giant of the Valley is more than a business - it is a family’s commitment to serving the community and its customers from one generation to another.