The new Kohler Signature Store by GROF USA is filling the space at 7626 Old Georgetown Road, in the ground floor of the Metropolitan apartment building. You may recall a bike shop was the previous tenant at this prominent corner in downtown Bethesda. The kitchen and bath showroom has set an opening date of March 12, 2020.
Signage has been installed on the building's facade. Kohler is an American company with a long history since it was founded in 1873 by Austrian-American industrialist John Michael Kohler. Based in Wisconsin, the Kohler family is practically royalty in the state, with John's son Walter and grandson Walter Jr. even having served as Wisconsin governor. They inherited the political genes of John, who himself served as mayor of Sheboygan. Walter Sr. founded the company town today known as Kohler Village in Sheboygan County, current population 2068, still today the company's world headquarters.
GROF USA is a major interior design and fixture supplier for projects large and small, offering design and procurement services. They have offices in some of my favorite cities in the world, including Washington, D.C., New York, Miami, and Caracas, Venezuela. GROF's Bethesda venture is the first Kohler Signature Store to open in the D.C. region.