E. F. Dinkel opened the first John Deere dealership in his building on the corner of Miller and Main Streets in Conklin.  He offered a full line of John Deere tractors as well as parts and service.  After he retired from business in Conklin, no farm equipment and tractor business existed until Clarence Ley opened a John Deere Dealership in the same building. 

After a few years, Mr. Ley moved his dealership to a new building on Gooding Street and then just a few years later her went out of business.  Dale Lachmann purchased the Batson Ford building and reopened the John Deere tractor and farm equipment business.  Mr. Lachmann added additional space to the west side of the building and purchased the lots originally owned by the Conklin Creamery.  Mr. Lachmann carried a full line of parts and offered a full service garage for tractor and equipment repairs.

In 2000, Mr. Lachmann retired and leased his building to Fillmore Equipment, Incorporated, who also sold John Deere tractors and equipment.  Fillmore Equipment operated out of the building in Conklin for about two years, then moved to a new building in Kent City.  After Fillmore Equipment vacated the building, Mr. Lachmann sold the property to First Choice Landscaping.

About 1940, Charles G. Batson discontinued his Ford car dealership and started selling Ford tractors and farm equipment in his building on Miller Street at the north end of Main Street.  He offered a full line for Ford tractors and farm equipment as well as parts and service.  The business closed following his death in 1953.   

Norbert Denhof operated an Oliver tractor and farm equipment business on the north side of Miller Street between Main and Daggett in Conklin.  In addition to selling Oliver tractors and equipment, Mr. Denhof’s dealership also contained a full parts department and repair service.

The Coopersville Observer, Friday, July 31, 1931