Petty, Shuman, and Nihart began erecting buildings to attract business to the new townsite. Shuman opened a meat market and distributed mail from the market. Felix Zesigar opened a barber shop, and a Mr. Stohl moved his saloon from Corinne. Nihart opened an office and started a weekly newspaper, the Tremont Times, which he had printed in Logan but which was distributed from the new townsite which, at the request of the German colony, had been named "Tremont."

Following the first business boom and for a year thereafter, businessmen were attracted to the town from all parts of the county. Their businesses included Meldrum's blacksmith shop, Sherman's general merchandise store, Cook's drug store, Mrs. Cook's millinery store, Mrs. John Shuman's boarding house, Proctor Hotel, Goss Livery Stable, Stohl Furniture Store, Thomas Waldron's general merchandise store, Fishburn and Son's general merchandise store, Consolidated Wagon and Machine Company, Mr. Zimmerman's saloon, Wyatt Brothers' meat market, and the Kent Hotel. Very few homes were built during the first year; most of the families lived in the rear rooms of their places of business.