How about checking out some new ’71 Dodges on a special occasion?
What you’re looking at, stuffed with 1970s trends and period-perfect lighting, is none other than the opening day at the new Reed Brothers Dodge location in Rockville, Maryland. In this image, a broughamy ’71 Challenger is proudly displayed for the occasion.
Reverse angle from the Challenger, with a brown Dart nearby also prominently displayed. There are actually plenty of images of this event, with many showcasing the clean-looking glassy showroom, all with dusk lighting, as if out of a ’70s flick.
With so many guests, there are quite a few situations to be seen in these photos. From onlookers and folks just shooting the breeze…
… to others clearly dreaming of driving those Dodges (Yes, I would be that kid in the steering wheel).
Beyond the showroom and visitors, service areas were captured as well.
Reeds Brothers had served Rockville since Oct. 1915, and it moved to its new location on Frederick Road in December 1970. It remained there for over four decades before the franchise was terminated in 2013. More info on their history can be found on the Reed Brothers Dodge History blog, featuring more images from this event.
But rather than close on that sad note, how about one last party image? And could I get a brochure, please?
A bit of address searching shows that it is a gigantic apartment block with many AC units on the Roof post 2013.
Cool Stuff.
Back when people dressed to go out in public. That picture today would be dominated by sweat pants and pajama pants instead of dresses & ties.
Above, Clint made a really great point. People today seldom dress nice for anything.
What I see in that picture and others like them is the overall excitement that the “new” cars and models generated back then. It was a truly big deal. I started selling at a Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Honda store back in 1988 and even then the new model year car introductions were nice. However, they never looked like in these pics. Over the years since, everything has become so watered down that the manufacturers have left zero excitement. Where I work now, we’ve had 2025 Volvo’s for 3+ months and nobody would have known if you didn’t notice the stock number and/or look at the window sticker. The manufacturers began introducing half model years back in the 70’s and early 80’s. Dealers stopped hiding the new cars and could care less. The first dealer I worked at told me how they used to paper the huge windows of the showroom and then have a grand intro of the new model years cars while highlighting the refreshed or new ones. People made a big deal of it.
And now? If they even make it off their couch would be a win as they look at and order their cars online. On a daily basis, I see people coming in to look at new 50, 60 and $70,000 Volvo’s and they have ripped up jeans, slippers and look like they just got out of bed. My how the times have changed (for the worse IMO).
Other than the young boy behind the wheel in photo # 7, looks to be a slightly more mature crowd who would be more interested in a Dodge Monaco. However, I do agree on the dress code . As a WWII vet, My Dad always wore a suit to church and my Mom would wear a dress.
Today, it’s shorts and a t-shirt. As long as someone shows up, I guess the preacher is happy.
I set foot in Reed Brothers several times; it was about a 20 minute drive from where I grew up, and we had a ’66 Polara wagon to take care of. Went for some test drives in later years but can’t remember of what. I don’t recall the inside looking like that, with all the nice paneling.
I see someone drove to the event in a Mercedes SL and parked it right in front.
I love photos 3 and 4, with all of the old folks congregating around the green Dodge sedan. As ever it was. And still is, in my case. 🙂
Not a good year for Dodge. I’d rather have one of the Chevy pickups in the parking lot!
I know the place, and while my family frequented the Chrysler Plymouth dealership down the road, there was still some opportunity to get up to Shady Grove (as that section of the area between Rockville and Gaithersburg was/is called_ and Reed Brothers. Of course, back in 1971 when they moved into that new dealership location (with its many sq feet of photo-printed “oak” paneling), it was really in the middle of nowhere. Cows, trees, fields. My high school routinely held its graduation ceremonies at the “Shady Grove Music Fair” which was quasi-outdoor music/theater facility and about a mile from where Reed Brothers was. One of the victories for my Sr. Class (1979) is that year we got the graduation ceremony moved into DC, which most people felt was very much preferable to having to go “all the way out” up-county to Shady Grove.
Of course, nowadays, where the dealer was located (it was demolished and the site was redeveloped about a dozen years ago) is one speck in the non-stop sprawl that runs from DC miles out into Maryland…seemingly almost to Pennsylvania. Condos, parking lots, big box stores, office buildings, etc. Not many Dodges, not to mention cows, to be seen out there now. The specific dealership location is a “mixed-use” condo/office development on top of the Shady Grove Metro station.
1969-1971 the best years for Chargers and Challengers.