The John Deere Company was first represented in Hillsboro by Lester Ireland and the Ireland Hardware Store. The store was located on Third and Main Streets. In 1938 Roy Hofer was hired as a serviceman for Ireland Hardware Store. He recalls that most equipment sales were made through the John Deere catalog at that time, and the John Deere showroom was simply a spot in the store where they parked a tractor. The service department was located in the rear of the building and accessed by exiting a door at the rear of the store and walking through Picken’s Blacksmith Shop.
