Earliest business in the LeRoy area was the establishment of the farm. Each settler in new territory had to do this for his own survival and then later he could enlarge it if he chose to stay in the farming business. Today’s businesses depend on the farm for much of their business now.

            Amos Neal was the first to sell goods in the new town of LeRoy in the 1830’s. A popular peddler to Buckles Grove residents in 1843 was persuaded to open a store in LeRoy.  Thus began the growth of business in the community. All the goods from these early stores came by way of Pekin, being shipped there from St. Louis on boats up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Farmers hauled their wheat to Pekin to be sold or ground for their own use until the first mill was built in LeRoy in 1841.

            Around 1870 LeRoy had a steam mill, agricultural warehouses, lumber yards, 6 dry good stores, hardware stores, harness factories, boot and shoe factories, drug stores, blacksmith and repair shops, wagon making establishment, and one bank, hotel, livery stable merchant tailor and watch and clock establishment. The railroad was built through LeRoy in 1869-1870 making the shipment of goods into town much easier.

            A variety of businesses operated in LeRoy. The Bloomington Canning Company opened a branch of its canning company in 1904 on the west edge of town. Permabilt of Illinois currently has its operations on the old canning factory site. The National Harrow Company was manufacturing farm machinery in 1909 with shipments going to places as far away as Cape Town, Africa and Buenos Aires, South America. A creamery company started in 1912 produced butter, cheese, and ice cream for years until milk and cream were no longer produced in quantity on farms.

            Most people were glad to live in LeRoy and in 1913 a rash of bungalow building was in progress. In 1919 a new bank, law office, the high school and a new building for The How were being built. These businesses increased residential building gradually until 1950 when the old fair grounds were used to start subdivisions that triggered further development.

            No business history of LeRoy would be complete without telling the story of The How. The How was a great department store that served the community from 1895 to 1984. This business started from scratch as a catalog store and the owner (Bliss Humphrey) traveled about the countryside in a horse and buggy taking orders and then by the “Punkin Vine” train to Sabina and points east. Shortly before the turn of the century he transferred his growing business to a store and took on a partner. The business continued to prosper over the years incorporating every possible line of goods from books to farm machinery. Bliss was an excellent salesman and trader. He took all kinds of poultry and animals in trade for farm machinery.

The owners had a reputation for honesty and for standing behind their merchandise. They gladly extended credit to those who needed it, which included nearly everyone during the depression days. In the decades when everybody went to town on Saturday night to stand on the streets and visit with their friends, The How stayed open until 10 or 11 p.m. or even 1 a.m. to accommodate their customers. Another feature especially liked by the customer was the top-notch repair service. The How was known far and wide, some customers traveling for 50 miles or more to trade at their favorite store.

 The How, after serving the public for 89 years, is no more. However, the memory lingers on, in a park established where the store once stood.

            The trains and unlimited use of electricity, automobiles and tractors all were the cause of many businesses closing, new ones opening and others just changing the line of goods they sold. The building of the rails changed many things. Larger volumes of grain and other farm produce could be shipped out. More lumber and building materials could be brought in. Merchants no longer had to wait for the salesman with his truck of samples to do their buying. They could go direct to the big cities and choose from large displays and do their buying. The average citizen also went by train to shop in neighboring cities. There was standing room only at times.