Larkridge Funding Group, a small-business funding broker in Decatur, Illinois, works from 134 N Merchant St with owners across Macon County. This page sets out Census figures on the county's employers, sectors, no-payroll businesses and self-employment, plus the office ZIP code, and points to local registration, premises and advice resources. Lending partners make credit decisions and set rates and terms.
| County | Macon County, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Employer establishments | 2,241 in 2023 (CBP) |
| Under five employees | 45.6% of employers (CBP 2023) |
| No-payroll businesses | 5,839 in 2024 (NES) |
| Office ZIP 62523 | 197 employer establishments in 2023 (ZBP) |
| Address | 134 N Merchant St, Decatur, IL 62523 · (217) 296-7415 |
An address on North Merchant Street
Larkridge Funding Group's address is 134 N Merchant St, Decatur, IL 62523. Owners across Macon County, Illinois, and in nearby towns such as Clinton and Monticello, reach us by phone at (217) 296-7415 or through the online request.
Who we are and how we work is on the about page; phone and mailing details are on the contact page.
Macon County, Illinois employers by size
Macon County had 2,241 employer establishments in 2023, with 42,511 paid employees and about $2.91 billion in annual payroll (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). Most were small:
| Paid employees | Establishments |
|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 1,023 |
| 5 to 9 | 478 |
| 10 to 19 | 351 |
| 20 to 49 | 234 |
| 50 to 99 | 89 |
| 100 to 249 | 42 |
| 250 to 499 | 19 |
| 1,000 or more | 3 |
For a funding request, size matters because partners lean harder on the owner's records when the business has no finance staff. Clean bank statements and a separate business account carry more weight at five employees than at fifty.
Which sectors fill Macon County, Illinois
By number of employer establishments, retail trade led with 326, followed by other services (repair, personal and similar services) with 285, health care and social assistance with 281, accommodation and food services with 240 and construction with 179. By payroll the order changes: manufacturing paid about $586.3 million across just 87 establishments, and management of companies about $481.3 million across 50 (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). Health care employed the most people, 8,269.
Partners commonly fund four of those sectors through Larkridge: restaurants, medical and dental practices, construction, and retail. The industries page sets each against the funding structures that tend to fit, and the comparison page explains the structures themselves.
Businesses with no payroll
Another 5,839 Macon County businesses operated with no paid employees in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2024). Other services accounted for 969 of them, health care and social assistance 646, administrative and support services 608, retail 576 and professional services 521. These are mostly owner-run operations, and many are sole proprietorships. Nonemployer counts come from a different program and year from the employer figures above, so the two should not be added together.
Self-employment in Decatur, IL
An estimated 6.8 percent of employed Decatur residents were self-employed, plus or minus 1.2 points, against 7.0 percent (plus or minus 0.9) for Macon County and 8.8 percent (plus or minus 0.1) for Illinois (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates). Both the city and county ranges sit below the state's. In Decatur, about 2.6 percent of employed residents ran incorporated businesses and 4.2 percent unincorporated ones.
Unincorporated owners are usually reviewed through their personal credit and tax returns as well as the business's records, which is worth knowing before the first call.
The office ZIP code, 62523
ZIP 62523, which covers the office, had 197 employer establishments in 2023, with 2,637 paid employees and about $176.6 million in annual payroll; 42.1 percent had fewer than five employees (U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023). Professional, scientific and technical services led with 44 establishments, followed by retail with 29, finance and insurance with 24 and accommodation and food services with 21. ZIP figures describe the ZIP code, not the city as a whole.
Business licenses, registration and space in Decatur, IL
Owners searching for a Decatur, IL business license, building permits or zoning information are usually at one of two points: registering a new business, or taking on a space. For the state side, the Illinois REG-1 and MyTax guide explains the tax registration numbers partners ask about. For premises, the Decatur, IL zoning and commercial space checklist lists what to settle before signing a lease.
Buying an existing Decatur, IL business
Owners looking at a Decatur, IL business for sale often need funding for the purchase price, the stock that comes with it, or both. Partners reviewing an acquisition usually ask for the seller's recent tax returns and financial statements, the purchase agreement and a plan for the first year under new ownership. A term loan is the usual structure; any stock or equipment in the deal may be financed separately through working capital or equipment financing.
Free help nearby, and the towns around Decatur, IL
For advising, the chamber and economic development contacts, see Decatur and Macon County small business help. Larkridge has no tie to any of those organizations.
Owners in Mount Zion, Forsyth, Clinton, Monticello and other nearby towns can see their own figures on the communities we work with.
Decatur, IL businesses we help
Our partners have confirmed appetite for four kinds of business: contractors and construction trades, restaurants and food service, medical and dental practices, and retailers and wholesalers that carry stock. If your Decatur, IL business is something else, call and ask before you spend time on paperwork.
Documents to have ready
- Business checking statements covering roughly the last quarter or two
- Your most recent business tax return
- An up-to-date P&L and balance sheet, even if you prepare them yourself
- Photo ID for every owner of the business
- A simple schedule of current business debt and monthly payments
- The equipment quote, contract or purchase order the funding is for
No two partners ask for exactly the same file, so use this as a checklist rather than a rule.
How a request moves forward
- It starts with a call to (217) 296-7415 or the short contact form. On the phone we cover the purpose of the funds, time in business and approximate monthly revenue.
- You hear which options match the need and what a partner will likely want to review. We submit nothing without your approval.
- Once you agree, the request goes to partners that provide that type of funding. The credit decision belongs to each partner.
- If a partner makes an offer, you compare the total cost, payment schedule and terms. You are never obligated to accept.
Our office is at 134 N Merchant St, Decatur, IL 62523.
By Larkridge Funding Group · Updated