1. Reed Brothers Automotive
in Rockville Celebrates 96 Years
One of the oldest family-owned and operated
automobile dealerships in the entire United
States is right here in Montgomery County
located at 15955 Frederick Road in Rockville,
Maryland: Reed Brothers Automotive. It is a
family business history that parallels the
evolution of the American automobile
industry itself.
Now in its 96th year, the company
was franchised as a Dodge
dealership in 1915; only one year
after the first Dodge automobile was
made. In 1914, Lewis Reed became a partner in
Rockville Garage, a business he bought out in 1918. Lewis Reed and his
brother Edgar, who later joined him in business in 1919, were the first to sell Dodge cars in
Montgomery County.
In 1928, when Walter P. Chrysler took over after Horace and John Dodge died, Lewis Reed became an original member of the Chrysler family. It’s
been a roller-coaster ride ever since.There were two critical periods in their history, World War II and the Great Depression. By 1929, the year of the stock
market crash that began the Great Depression, nobody could afford to buy cars. Like most other businesses, the Great Depression hit hard and Reed Brothers had
to rely on its Service Department to make ends meet.
Reed Brothers faced another setback during World War II. All U.S. car manufacturers stopped production of cars in order to concentrate on equipment
for the military. Reed Brothers had no new cars to sell for three and a half years. When manufacturers halted car production and
many dealers went bankrupt, Lewis Reed converted his car showroom into a display room and sold GE
washing machines and other large appliances.The first car after the war was the
1946 Dodge, which sold for about $800.
Initially, Reed Brothers sold
Oldsmobile and Hudson, along with
Dodge. Later they became Dodge
Plymouth dealers.The first Plymouth
was built in 1928 and Plymouths were
sold at Reed Brothers until 1969, when
the Plymouth car was given to the Chrysler
dealers.
Reed Brothers has also sold Gulf gasoline. In
fact, the company was the first Gulf gas dealer
in the Washington, D.C. area, selling gas at its
original location in Old Rockville. Reed Brothers
has occupied two locations, the present one at
15955 Frederick Road, Rockville and the original one that stood at the triangle where Hungerford Drive, Viers Mill Road and Route 28 intersect across from St.
Mary Church. In fact, Dodge Street in Rockville got its name because Reed Brothers Dodge was located there for so many years.
The dealership began as a family business and remains that way today. Lewis Reed’s daughter, Mary
Jane, married Ernest Lee Gartner, who joined the
business in 1949. Although he graduated from Strayer
College with a degree in business, Gartner learned a
lot through hands-on experience at the
dealership. Lee Gartner continued the business
as Dealer Principal after Lewis Reed died in
1967.Three of Gartner’s four children are all
owner-operators in the business today to
make it a third generation of family
management. Rick Gartner is President,
Barry Gartner is Vice President and
General Manager, and Jeanne Gartner
recently re-joined the business in 2006 as
Digital Media Specialist and Director of Internet Marketing after
serving 30 years in the United States Air Force.
Lee Gartner rarely missed a day of work in almost 60 years. Until his death in June 2009, he was a fixture at the dealership and
could be seen around just about every day. He greeted friends and customers in the showroom as he had for almost half a century.The
management torch was passed to a new generation, but the same old-fashioned attitudes and values are alive and well.
It did not matter if a franchise was run by a second- or third-generation dealer or was older than Chrysler itself. When Chrysler decided to cut dealerships during
their 2009 bankruptcy process; after almost 95 years selling Dodges, Reed Brothers was one of the 15 dealerships in Maryland and 789 dealerships
nationwide notified by Chrysler that their franchise agreement would not be renewed.
Times have changed, and Reed Brothers has changed right along with them. During the recent months and when
many car dealers have had to close their doors, Reed Brothers have made behind-the-scenes
tweaks to withstand the economic downturn and the loss of their franchise.
Their 96-year run is a testament to ingenuity, business savvy
and integrity. It’s basic values that allow a
company to stay in business that long, values
that are handed down from generation to
generation.
A business landmark in the Rockville area since
1915, Reed Brothers has undergone a change in its
structure – and its name – but still caters to the local
community as it has for decades. Reed Brothers Dodge is
now Reed Brothers Automotive, and continues on as a used
car dealer and repair shop.
Reed Brothers will celebrate the actual 96th anniversary of its
business in mid-October.That makes them the oldest automotive
dealership under the same family ownership in Maryland and one
of the oldest in the entire nation. Whether it’s your first visit, or your
one-hundredth, Reed Brothers is still here to serve you with consistent, quality service. Rest assured, Reed Brothers Automotive will remain big enough to handle
all of your vehicle needs, yet small enough to remember your name.
REED BROTHERS AUTOMOTIVE
15955 Frederick Rd., Rockville, MD. 301.926-6100
1776909