Ken Garff Automotive Group of Salt Lake City has acquired Volkswagen SouthTowne in South Jordan.
Garff said the store will be renamed Ken Garff Volkswagen SouthTowne.
“Volkswagen SouthTowne has an outstanding reputation in the Salt Lake Valley for its elite performance, employee culture and prime location,” said Brett Hopkins, CEO of Ken Garff. “When the opportunity to acquire the dealership arose, we immediately recognized the strong alignment between our organizations’ values and culture. We are excited to build upon the foundation Tom and Susan Watkins created, while continuing our commitment to exceptional customer service, employee development and doing business the right way.”
The business was sold by Susan Watkins, who purchased the dealership with her late husband, Tom Watkins, in 1989. Susan’s father, Ray Stout, managed the Ken Garff Oldsmobile dealership many years ago and worked closely with Ken and Bob Garff.
“As we considered the future of Volkswagen SouthTowne, it was important to find an organization that would care for our employees and customers,” said Watkins. “As another family-owned organization, Ken Garff demonstrated a commitment to preserving the culture of the business while creating opportunities for our team.”
Ken Garff Automotive Group is the ninth-largest dealership group in the country and the third-largest privately owned, according to Automotive News. The group owns 71 dealerships in nine states.