Reeds Motor Group history

The A&A REEDS outlet, situated in Bree Street in Cape Town’s CBD, started trading in 1910.

Reed Brothers was franchised as a Dodge dealership in October 1915; less than one year after the first Dodge automobile rolled off the assembly line.

In 1949 A&A REEDS was taken over by the Bothner Group.

After further expansion, the business was taken over by Stolly’s Motor Group in 1956.

1974 saw yet another takeover when the Lonrho Group purchased the outlet known as REEDS Delta at the time.

In 1990, Reed Brothers Dodge celebrated its 75th Anniversary.

Reed Brothers service has always been highly rated, so when Daimler-Chrysler instituted the Five-Star designation for its elite dealers in 1997, Reed Brothers immediately was awarded its 5 stars.

In 1998, Daimler acquires Chrysler in a stock swap for $26 billion.

Just five years later, in 2004, REEDS opened their Table View branch.

In 2007, Cerberus Capital Management buys Chrysler for $5 billion.

In 2008, sales tanked 30%. With gasoline at $4 a gallon, big cars and trucks – Chrysler mainstays – were barely selling.

The unraveling of the family business began on May 14, 2009: 26 days until court-ordered closure for the tattered but stubborn local landmark.