Reads shop and garage was situated on the old main road between Bishop's Stortford and Great Dunmow known then as the A120 and now as the B1256. It was about one mile east of the 'Four Ashes' crossroads, on the north side of the road , nearly opposite to the Little Chef as it is today (2004).

Ernest and Kate Read came to Takeley in about 1909 from Manchester, where Ernest had worked in the textile industry. Kate had run a very small shop from their front room in a terraced house. They opened the small shop at Takeley which over  the years grew to include a garage and petrol station, tea rooms and cycle repair shop.

This book tells the story of how the businesss developed and how the Read family, over several generations, contributed to Takeley life.