Meredith's business community has for the past century-and-a-half been the principal champion of promoting the many virtues of Meredith. After the split of Laconia from Meredith, the town's leading businessmen formed the Meredith Mechanic Association in 1859 to attract new industries like Hodgson's Hosiery Mill to town.

In 1892, a new Meredith Board of Trade was formed, taking over the promotion of the town's business climate. Businessmen like George F. Sanborn and E.C. Mansfield were instrumental in bringing electricity and municipal water to the village in the 1890s.

After a couple of decades, the Meredith Chamber of Commerce evolved, and over the years has promoted not only business improvements, but civic betterments as well. In the 1920s the Chamber conducted a contest to choose a motto and symbol for the town, and as a result adopted the saying "Meredith: Latchkey to the White Mountains." The terms Latchkey and Keytown are still used frequently today. The current Chamber headquarters is on the site of the former Meredith Casket Factory.