The rising demand for grain, animal feed and farm supplies influenced Leo B. DeMeyer to start his own grain & feed business – Grayslake Feed Sales Inc., located on the corner of Rt. 120 and Slusser Street. With over 1,250 farms in the Lake County area, Leo’s main business was selling and hauling grain, animal feed, farm seed and farm supplies.

Leo B. DeMeyer, founder of Grayslake Feed Sales.

Leo moved Grayslake Feed Sales to the property that it is located today – on the corner of Center Street and Seymour Avenue. With the new location right next to the Soo Line Railroad, new doors were opened to GFS. Leo built the original retail store, office and warehouse space, but later on, added a grain mill and four silos for custom mixing and grinding of animal feed.

A “new” building was built on the north side of the property. This building, which is now called the “north building” was originally split into two sections. The west section was designed to hold bagged goods, and the east side was meant to store bulk fertilizer and grain. This east side was accessible by either train cars or trucks.

Agriculture began to change in the Lake County area. Small farms began to disappear, and more coroporate farms began to pop up. These larger farms began to haul their own grain and buying direct, rather than going through a local dealer. As small farms dwindled to about 300-400 in the area, new life appeared as new home owners flocked to Lake County. As the demand for livestock feed, fertilizer and farm equipment went down, and the demand for more specialty animal and lawn products rose, Leo and his other son, John DeMeyer, who joined his father in the mid1980’s, began to change the market of Grayslake Feed Sales. Once a dealer for mostly bulk grain and fertilizer, Grayslake Feed Sales began selling more specialty animal feed, animal supplies and lawn & garden supplies, while Richard DeMeyer at Grayslake Feed Outdoor Power Equipment started selling more lawnmowers, weed trimmers, tillers and chain saws to accommodate for the loss of farming business.

Agriculture began to change in the Lake County area. Small farms began to disappear, and more coroporate farms began to pop up. These larger farms began to haul their own grain and buying direct, rather than going through a local dealer. As small farms dwindled to about 300-400 in the area, new life appeared as new home owners flocked to Lake County. As the demand for livestock feed, fertilizer and farm equipment went down, and the demand for more specialty animal and lawn products rose, Leo and his other son, John DeMeyer, who joined his father in the mid1980’s, began to change the market of Grayslake Feed Sales. Once a dealer for mostly bulk grain and fertilizer, Grayslake Feed Sales began selling more specialty animal feed, animal supplies and lawn & garden supplies, while Richard DeMeyer at Grayslake Feed Outdoor Power Equipment started selling more lawnmowers, weed trimmers, tillers and chain saws to accommodate for the loss of farming business.

With more room for retail and office space, Grayslake Feed moved onto the next project; another new warehouse. The two older warehouses did not allow enough room for large amounts of bagged fertilizer, grass seed, rock salt and animal feed that consumers demanded. This “new” building was designed to be much larger than the other two warehouses and be equipped to have four commercial garage doors and one semi loading bay for much more storage and efficiency.

John DeMeyer, his family and his rooted empolyees have been expanding the business and selling more merchandise that appeals to the modern consumer’s eye, while still keeping an old-school style. Customers who remember coming to the “feed store” as child with their parents, still reminisce on their memories as they buy their animal food at the feed store today.