Historic Timeline

Woodrow Wilson was President of the United States; the Green Bay Packers did not yet exist; the United States was two years away from joining World War I; the cost of a stamp was two cents, and Reed Brothers Dodge in Rockville, Maryland was founded. It is a family business history that parallels the evolution of the American automobile industry itself.

1914 – Lewis Reed became a partner in the Rockville Garage with Robert L. and Griffith Warfield. The Warfield Brothers purchased the original building in July 1915, from Lee Ricketts and Sons who had the Overland Agency.

1915 – In October 1915, Reed Brothers was franchised as a Dodge dealership and service facility; less than one year after the first Dodge automobile rolled off the assembly line. The late George M. Hunter, President of the Montgomery County National Bank, purchased the first automobile sold by the Rockville Garage.

In 1915, they began selling gas at their original location at their original location at the triangle at Veirs Mill Road and Rockville Pike. Their first “gas station” consisted of a single pump. The company was the first Gulf gas dealer in the still rural Washington, D.C. area.

1916 – Rockville Garage began offering auto repair services as early as 1914. The first auto mechanics of the Rockville Garage consisted of Lewis Reed, (first name unknown) Long, and Phillip Reed.

United States Enters World War I

1918 – Lewis Reed bought out Rockville Garage from the Warfield’s.

1919 – Lewis Reed’s brother Edgar joined the business in August 1919, and at the suggestion of the late Judge Edward Peter, the name of the company was changed to Reed Brothers Dodge.

Reed Brothers Dodge was the first to sell Dodge cars in Montgomery County. During the early years, Reed Brothers represented several franchise nameplates along with Dodge, including the Bates Steel Mule Tractor, Hudson Super Six, Essex Motor Car, and Oldsmobile. The Bates Steel Mule was sold at Rockville Garage in 1919. The Hudson, Essex, and Oldsmobile were sold at Reed Brothers from 1917-1923.

1921 – Reed Brothers Dodge got a new facelift and remodel.

1927 – A new Gulf Gas Station was erected, along with a new building and repair shop. Like many commercial building types, gas stations often underwent changes over time. Reed Brothers Gulf Gas Station underwent five alterations over the course of 55 years that were built to follow corporate design.

1928 – Walter P. Chrysler took over after Horace and John Dodge died and Lewis Reed became an original member of the Chrysler family.

The Great Depression

1929 – The year of the stock market crash that began the Great Depression, no one could afford to buy cars. Like most other businesses, the Great Depression hit hard and most dealerships had to declare bankruptcy. Reed Brothers had to rely on its Service Department to make ends meet. But, the dealership survived through these lean times.

1930 – Reed Brothers added the Plymouth line in 1930. Plymouths were sold at Reed Brothers until 1969, when the brand was given to the Chrysler dealers.

1940 – Reed Brothers celebrated its 25th Anniversary

1941 – Because of expanding business, Reed Brothers constructed a completely new building for the Parts and Service Departments at the corner of Rockville Pike and what is now known as “Dodge Street”. The building formally opened on Saturday, July 5, 1941.

The short connector street behind the dealership was named “Dodge Street” by the State of Maryland following the 1941 expansion.

United States Enters World War II

1942 – During World War II, 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 to fill the gap. After the end of World War II, the car boom came and the automobile assembly lines were back in action.

1945 – Reed Brothers celebrated their 30th Anniversary. One former employee, Philip Frank, a member of the Air Corps in World War II was killed in combat in the South Pacific. At this time, Reed Brothers had in their employ eight veterans of World War II.

1946 – Reed Brothers celebrated the end of World War II with another new facelift and a whole new look.

1947 – Reed Brothers Dodge added a separately maintained glass shop in their service department which was equipped to replace all types of automobile glass. In addition to auto replacements, glass was also cut for mirrors and tabletops.

1948 – Chrysler adopted the new method of starting the engine with an ignition key. At the end of the 1940s a gallon of gas cost 26 cents.

1949 – Ernest Lee Gartner, who married Lewis Reed’s daughter, Mary Jane, joined the business in 1949.

1950 – Reed Brothers Dodge, Oldest Dodge Dealer in Maryland, celebrated their 35th Anniversary. Since October 1918, when Lewis Reed purchased the business from the Warfield’s, the business had steadily grown. Reed Brothers now employed twenty-two persons. In addition to the Shop Foreman, Lester Wilson, who had been associated with the business since 1918, Reed Brothers employed six factory trained mechanics in their fully equipped shop.

1951 – Edgar Reed passed away in October 1951 at the age of 60.

1952 – On March 4, 1952, the partnership known as Reed Brothers became Reed Brothers, Inc. Lewis Reed was President of the Corporation – Arthur L. Watkins, Vice President and Sales Manager – Ernest Lee Gartner, Secretary-Treasurer and General Manager. In addition to its Officers, the firm employed 21 people to assist in the operation of the business. Three of the employees had been with Reed Brothers since 1917, and many others had a long record of employment with the company.

1953 – Due to changes in the highway, Reed Brothers began an extensive remodeling and rebuilding program. The program consisted of a sizable addition to their service shop which enlarged the showroom area and housed the Parts Department. Two-thirds of the original location at the junction of then Route 240 and Veirs Mill Road was razed and a modern Gulf Service Station was erected.

1965 – Reed Brothers Dodge celebrated its 50th Anniversary.

A double cake-cutting ceremony at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Washington, DC was part of the special 5oth anniversary celebration honoring two Dodge dealers: C.C. Wine, founder of Wine Brothers, Harrisonburg, Va,. and Lewis Reed, founder of Reed Brothers, Inc., of Rockville, Maryland. Both men, who received their franchise in 1915 from the Dodge Brothers – John and Horace Dodge – were awarded gold plaques for “a half-century of dependability in sales and service.”

1967 –The Senate of Maryland passed Senate Resolution No. 10 honoring the life of Lewis Reed shortly after his passing on January 28, 1967 at the age of 79. The resolution was sponsored by Senator Thomas M. Anderson, Jr and Senator Louise Gore.

When Lewis Reed passed away, Lee Gartner continued the business as President of the company, making Reed Brothers Dodge a second-generation dealer.

1968 – Lee Gartner’s two sons, Richard and Barry started working around the dealership and washing cars when they were around 12 years old. Through junior high and high school, they worked in all departments of the dealership from running parts, service writing, to working in the body shop and sales department. After graduating from High School, both brothers studied dealership management at Northwood University.

Richard and Barry later took over management of the dealership in the Reed Brothers tradition: Richard oversaw the “front end” new and used car sales and Barry managed the “back end” Service, Parts and Body Shop.

When Lee Gartner retired and became Chairman of the Board, Richard was designated as President and Barry served as Vice President/General Manager, making Reed Brothers Dodge a third-generation dealer.

1970 – When the state widened the roads in 1970, Reed Brothers Dodge relocated from its original 1,800 square foot facility at the intersection of Veirs Mill Road and Rockville Pike to a brand new 26,000 square foot showroom and service complex on Route 355 at 15955 Frederick Road Rockville Maryland. The original site is now Veterans Park.

December 6, 1970, marked the Grand Opening of the new building. Reed Brothers held a dual celebration with an open house and the observance of their 55th Anniversary.

​Watergate Fame: Many celebrities have purchased cars at Reed Brothers Dodge, but the most infamous purchase was a van used in the 1972 Watergate scandal … that van was returned.

1974 – Lee Gartner’s eldest daughter, Jeanne, started working in the general office to learn the business. Jeanne chose a different path, however, and pursued a career in The United States Air Force Band in Washington, DC. After retiring in July 2006, she rejoined the family business as Internet Director and later served as Corporate Secretary and Director of Digital Marketing and Advertising.

1978 – Lee Iaccoca, just fired by Ford, was hired as chief executive of Chrysler.

First Chrysler Bailout

1979 – The first Chrysler Bailout. Chrysler was rescued from bankruptcy by Congress and President Carter. Reed Brothers survived the first Chrysler Bailout and resurgence under Lee Iacocca.

1983 – Sales improved dramatically with the debut of the well-received K-car platform and the introduction of the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, the first modern minivans. Chrysler paid off government loans seven years early.

1987 – Lee Gartner’s youngest daughter, Bonnie Adams Warfield, joined the business. She later served as the F&I Manager, Director of Advertising and Corporate Secretary at Reed Brothers Dodge.

1990 – Reed Brothers Dodge celebrated its 75th Anniversary.

1997 – Reed Brothers service has always been highly rated. When Daimler-Chrysler instituted the Five-Star designation for its elite dealers, Reed Brothers immediately was awarded its 5 stars.  Reed Brothers has been cited for its superior service as long as it has been a Dodge dealer.

Sale of Chrysler to Daimler

1998 – Reed Brothers underwent an extensive $1M renovation and expansion that included state-of-the-art improvements in both sales and service.

Daimler acquired Chrysler in a stock swap for $26 billion. Under Daimler-Chrysler, the company was named Daimler-Chrysler Motors Company LLC, with its U.S. operations generally called the “Chrysler Group”.  Chrysler, plagued with slumping sales and quality issues, is trying to restructure its way to profitability after a $680 million loss. Reed Brothers survived this setback as well.

1999 – Reed Brothers Dodge published their very first website.

2005 – Reed Brothers celebrated their 90th Anniversary. For any family business to make it 90 years and three generations is akin to Olympic Gold. How did they do it? Lewis and Edgar Reed had a motto: “Treat your customer as your friend and always do what you promise.”

Sale of Chrysler to Cerberus

2007 – Cerberus Capital Management bought Chrysler for $5 billion.

Soon after, America’s economy slid into recession. Due to poor sales and debt, Chrysler had to declare bankruptcy. The federal government intervened and eventually Dodge came under control of Fiat, a European automaker known for its small cars, an area where Dodge’s entries had been roundly criticized for mediocre build quality and unrefined performance.

2008 – In 2008, sales plummeted 30 percent. With gasoline at $4 a gallon, big cars and trucks – Chrysler mainstays – were barely selling. Chrysler and General Motors Corp., once the world’s largest automakers, were running out of cash. They begged the government for help. With the company nearing financial collapse, President Bush agreed to lend Chrysler $4 billion.

Chrysler Files Bankruptcy

2009 – Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.  Chrysler terminated 789, or about 25% of its dealerships by June 9. The cuts resulted in an estimated 38,000 job losses.

Whether a franchise was run by a second- or third-generation dealer, or is older than even Chrysler itself, didn’t seem to matter when Chrysler decided to cut dealerships ranks 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.

Lee Gartner passed away June 19^th 2009.  Though Lee Gartner later ceded control to his sons, he rarely missed a day of work in almost 60 years. Until his untimely 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 did for almost half a century.

A Devastating Letter

The unraveling of the family business began on May 14, 2009: 26 days until court-ordered closure for the tattered but stubborn local landmark. A UPS envelope arrived at the dealership around 9:30 am. Five paragraphs on a form letter ordered Reed Brothers Dodge out of business by June 9, 2009.

“These are extraordinary times,” the letter said, “and they call for extraordinary efforts.”

“We wish there was a better way,” the letter from Chrysler said, “but there isn’t. We are grateful for the support you and your company have provided Chrysler over the years and we wish you the best under these circumstances.”

Adapting to Change

ROCKVILLE, MD, June 21, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ —“Rockville, Maryland (MD) dealer is standing strong despite having received their Dodge franchise termination letter from Chrysler. Reed Brothers Automotive (formerly Reed Brothers Dodge) is standing firm and will remain in business.”

During this time when many car dealers had to close their doors, Reed Brothers made behind-the-scenes tweaks to withstand the economic downturn and the loss of their franchise. The signs standing outside on Rockville Pike still said Reed Brothers Dodge, but inside, a new business was forming: Reed Brothers Automotive.

A business landmark in the Rockville area since 1915, Reed Brothers underwent a change in its structure – and its name – but still catered to the local community as it had for decades. Reed Brothers changed its name from Reed Brothers Dodge to Reed Brothers Automotive, and continued on as a used car dealer and repair shop.

2012 – May 2012, Reed Brothers announced the closing of their 97-year old Rockville, Maryland dealership.