Max Heimburge, the original owner and developer grew up in Stadtilm, Germany in the late 1800's. He worked two years as an army boot repairman in the German army after which he joined the German Shoemakers Union and worked in a small shoe shop in Munich.

Max entered the United States in 1910 at Ellis Island and continued his trade working for a New York shoe repair shop. He saved his earnings and worked his way to the west coast in 1912.

Once established in San Diego, California, Max gained employment in a very small shoe repair shop in downtown San Diego on Broadway. Not long after, he purchased the business, and added some shoes for sale. This led to the opening of another shoe store with shoe repair on 5th Avenue named Shoecraft. By 1941, the small business Max struggled to create had grown into 17 shoe stores throughout San Diego County, under the name Universal Boot Shop.

Once well established in the shoe market, Mr. Heimburge invested earnings in various land acquisitions, which eventually led to the purchase of some land on Coast Boulevard in 1946. This land represented the beginning of Shell Beach Motel.

By the late fifties, Max had continued to accumulate oceanfront property and built the La Jolla Cove Motel, now known as La Jolla Cove Suites.

Max Heimburge was truly a man of great vision, and the family business he spent his life developing has continued to grow and thrive under the management of Max's three children, and in present day his grandchildren. In keeping with their grandfather's ongoing philosophy of growth and development, La Jolla Cove Suites now offers a recently created state-of-the-art rooftop entertainment center, and has plans to continue an extensive remodel of the facilities. Every effort is being made to maintain the charm of this family legacy, yet usher it into the new millennium.