One entrepreneur starting a business out of their car might seem apocryphal, but it is the essence of the American Dream. Three American giants have nothing in common except for one fact. The owner started with a Volkswagen. Because they are reliable, inexpensive, and easily fixed, let’s look at three household brands:
Domino’s: James Monaghan and his brother Tom bought a small Pizzeria for $900 in 1960. Their only delivery car was a 1959 Beetle, that suffered the harsh winters of Ypsilanti, Michigan. While they have tried to find the original car, a replica sits inside the lobby of their headquarters
Nike: As the Greek Goddess of victory, Nike literally supports many world-famous athletes. Before adopting this iconic name, Blue Ribbon Sports was founded by University of Oregon track coach, Bill Bowerman, and Oregon native Phil Knight. Their first employee was Jeff Johnson, who sold their running shoes from the back of his Type 2 VW Microbus. Last year VW presented them with an I.D. Buzz electric van painted to match their original.
Ben & Jerry’s: Two childhood friends from Vermont decided to take a $5 correspondence course on ice-cream making. Confident they had the abilities, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield began delivering 2.5-gallon tubs of their amazing creations to local restaurants. Delivery, errands, and personal transportation were handled in Ben’s VW Type 3 Squareback.
The moral of these stories is that small business accounts for much of our nation’s prosperity, and VW is proud to offer great cars with incredible value. Click the button below to find your VW and stay with us for more great automotive history.
