CHAMPAIGN — Forty years ago, David Meyer and his wife made what he calls “the biggest investment” of their lives: buying a building at 330 N. Neil St. downtown to house Meyer Drapery Services Inc.
“The block had no retail business, except for one adult bookstore,” Meyer wrote in a letter to city officials. “The former department stores were empty, although my building was used to store golf carts in the winter. No front windows, no heat system, no bathrooms, no plumbing.”
Tax records show that the Meyers bought the property for $90,000 in September 1986 — equivalent to about $273,000 in 2026.
Despite the hurdles to opening at the location, Meyer saw the building as a worthwhile investment because of two key features: parking and…
