In the spring of 1885, John J. Sundquist came to town and purchased ten acres of ground adjoining the townsite, where he put up his residence. Later the same season, he purchased some town lots and put up a brick store building. In the summer of 1886, Sundquist put in a stock of drugs and notions and later added clothing, boots, and shoes. In connection with that business, he carried on a photographic art gallery in the second story of his building. A sawmill was built by John Norgren & Johnson in 1885. In August 1886, Harry Herbert Hines came to Dassel and took over the Minnesota and Dakota elevator. In 1886, John Osterman started a tin-shop on Second Street. He sold this business in 1889 to the Swanberg Brothers, who then added a full line of hardware and in 1891 they sold out to Peterson & Wickstrom. In 1901, the Brown Hardware Co., with C. D. Brown as its manager, opened a hardware store which they sold to Fred Rudberg in 1903, who operated it in connection with his furniture and undertaking business until his death on June 29, 1905. Then it became the Holm Brothers store.