Way We Were: Turn-of-century look of downtown Naperville stores

Back in a time when stores were named after the people who owned them, downtown Naperville boasted the Scherer & Yost store at the southeast corner of Washington Street and Jefferson Avenue and the M.B. Hosler store at the southwest corner of the same intersection. They’re seen here in a photo that dates to about 1900, according to Naper Settlement. The signs on the front of the former boast the sale of such things as hardware, tinware, stoves, cutlery, pumps, lamps, oils and sporting goods. Hosler seems to be more of a general store, with bolts of fabric, oil lamps and a sign advertising Pillsbury products seen in its windows.