ɪɾ ɪz lˈɑːɹdʒli ɐtɹˈɪbjuːɾᵻd tə kˈɑːk ðætðə kˈʌmpəni ɡɹˈuː fɹʌm ɐ smˈɔːl ɹˈiːteɪl stˈoːɹ ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɪks tə wˈʌn ʌvðə lˈɑːɹdʒɪst hˈoʊlseɪl hˈɑːɹdwɛɹ sˈɛlɚz ɪnðə mɪdwˈɛst baɪ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈoːɹ.
It is largely attributed to Koch that the company grew from a small retail store in 1866 to one of the largest wholesale hardware sellers in the Midwest by 1894.