Although it was built the year the Titanic went down, this two-story brick building is the newest of the commercial buildings that front North Downey Street. The building was constructed in 1912 as rental property by both Ross Leech, who at various times in his life was a farmer, carpenter and editor of The West Branch Times newspaper, and his brother, Dr. L. J. Leech, a physician in West Branch from 1882 until 1937. The new building plugged a hole between the new Citizens' Savings Bank constructed in 1908 on the northeast corner of Main and Downey streets and the auto garage to the north that Bert Leech, the doctor's son, had opened the year before, in 1911.

One Less Eyesore
For years on the site of the Leech brothers' new building had stood a warehouse used by George S. Randall & Co. to store farm implements, buggies and wagons. No tears were shed in February 1910, when the Randall warehouse was razed. "The old ware room, which had been a landmark of our town for more than 20 years and never was a thing of beauty, was wrecked last week," The West Branch Times reported on February 10, 1910. Local Masonic Lodge members had bought the lot in 1910 with the intention of constructing their own lodge building. That plan was abandoned in 1911 with a decision to instead move into the second story of Bert Leech's auto garage. Subsequently, the Masons sold the vacant lot to Ross Leech and his nephew, Bert Leech. Later, Bert Leech sold his half-interest in the property to his father, Dr. L. J. Leech.

The building was constructed during the summer of 1912. In September, a local painting contractor-the Randall Brothers began painting the inside of the Leech's new commercial building. On October 1, Charles F. Schroeder, who had operated a men's clothing store in the north room of the Opera Block since 1907, finished moving his stock of "gent's furnishings" into the new storefront. By 1912, Schroeder had spent 20 years selling men's clothing. After 15 years in business in Muscatine, Iowa, he relocated to West Branch in 1907. On the main floor of his new store he displayed an expanded stock of Elgin shirts, Arrow collars, Kirschbaum suits, Lorenz sweaters, My Own Brand overalls and Superior brand underwear. Schroeder used the balcony above the new store's main floor to display children's clothes and for a new shoe department, a feature his old store didn't include. On display were the latest styles by Florsheim and Rice & Hutchins, as well as Ball brand rubbers to keep new shoes looking new.

"The new building is as well prepared for the business as any clothing house in the state, and is well and conveniently furnished with windows for display of goods and for lighting, with electric lights for dark days and evening trade," The West Branch Times reported on October 3, 1912. "The building will be heated by steam and is supplied with city water. West Branch should be congratulated that it has such an elegant up-to-date store room, and one now occupied by a store equal to those found in cities of 15,000 or 20,000 inhabitants, with all the conveniences and benefits of a large city gents furnishings trade.

Charles Schroeder remained in the clothing business at his North Downey Street location for many years. The building later housed a series of furniture, hardware, and antique stores. At one point, it was connected by an interior doorway with the building to the north.