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Lewis Reed (left) and James Gartner, Salesman
New car introduction was always one of the most exciting times at Reed Brothers. It was a once-a-year celebration that everyone looked forward to attending. New brochures were handed out and coincided with the usual full-page advertisements to visit the dealership and see the new cars. For the salesman, it meant additional car sales. To the dealership, it was another method to reach out to hundreds of current and potential customers, not only for new car sales, but also to advertise the dealership’s other services. Customers who wanted to be the first on their block to own one of the new models were the target demographic for the new car introduction event, as were those who wanted to "keep up with the Joneses."
To attract motorists driving by, large signs were placed in the showroom windows hyping the new year models: Dart, Lancer, and Polara. Back in the day, there was tremendous brand loyalty. Customers who bought Dodges usually bought them for life. In fact, many former customers traded every year and would buy a new car on the spot.
The car on display in the photograph above is a 1961 Dodge Dart Phoenix. 1961 was the second year for the Dart, and the Phoenix was the top-of-the-line model. An interesting detail from the Dodge Dart’s history: it was almost called a Dodge “Zipp." An extensive market study generated the name Zipp for the car, which was promptly rejected in favor of Dart. The name "Dart" found favor with the public because a new military aircraft commonly known as the "Delta Dart," had been recently introduced, with marketing appealing to the excitement surrounding the Space Race during the early 1960s.
Montgomery County Sentinel, October 25, 1956
Lester Wilson and Evelyn Beane Norris checking out a new car brochure in the showroom, c. 1956. Lester Wilson worked at Reed Brothers as a Mechanic and Evelyn B. Norris worked as Administrative Secretary.
In the 1960s, new car introduction at the local authorized dealer was a much more important part of the automotive buying habits of middle class Americans. Today, the public’s appetite for spectacular events has moved from the local showroom to the convention hall, where the year's new cars are introduced at major auto shows.
Pictured with the Charger Topper on display at the 1972 Washington Auto Show are (on left) Lee Gartner, President/Dealer Principal and (at the wheel) Phil Vetter, Service Manager of Reed Brothers Dodge.
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