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.
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.