Evening Star Newspaper, June 18, 1923, Page 31

SPECIAL ROTOGRAVURE ADVERTISING SECTION Announcement has been made of the opening, tomorrow, of the new quarters of Grosner's, one of Washington’s leading men's stores for the past 43 years. Victor Mindeleff, city architect for a number of years, and Ken- neth C. Welch, one of America’s leading store designers, co-operated in planning the structure and store layout, producing what has been said to be “the handsomest, as well as one of the most efficient store layouts in “the east, if not in the United States.” The entire building, as well as the fixtures, follow the Italian Renaissance period design—prob- ably the most masculine and one of the most pleasing of the many architectural motifs. This period is well brought out in the arch at the entrance, particularly in the square decorative design used. The entrance pavement and the valence of the display windows likewise follow this design. The bay window effect of the large display windows is also in- dicative of the Italian Renaissance period. These windows were erected by the E. J. Murphy Com- pany, 710 12th street northwest, who supplied the plate glass-and the Desco Copper Bar Construc- tion. The Desco copper bar pro- vides a method of holding the plate glass securely, yet with a minimum possibility of breakage. Its most important advantage, however, is that the glass gets complete venti- lation on both sides, as well as at the top and bottom, thus prevent- ing steaming or streaking; the ventilation thus secured, never closes up—a thing which often happens to other types of window bars. On account of this feature, and the further fact that this bar is one of the few that are made in one piece, it was sclected after giving serious consideration to the various makes of bars on the mar- ket. @he Toening St WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION WASHINGT( D. ¢l JUNE 18, SPECIAL ROTOGRAVURE ADVERTISING SECTION The arched ceiling effect in the interior of the store, rogether with the arched recesses, called penden- tives, where the ceiling meets the side walls, are very pleasing and are, at the came time, truly repre- sentative of the general design fol- lowed throughout. The totally indi- rect lighting system was designed in competition with the various lighting systems of the country. Thus, the interior effect, the stcre design and the lighting produced are the very last word in their re- spective lines. In fact, this is the first men’s wear and specialty shop in the United States to have the combined features here produced. All of the store fixtures in which the men’s wear is kept are of the latest type construction and follow the Italian Renaissance Period in design. They are made of Ameri- can walnut, with the light green hand-painted decorations so beauti- fully typified in the old Italian furniture of that period. Thesc fixtures were designed and con- ctructed by the Welch-Wilmarth Company of Grand Rapids, Mich. Arthur L. Smith, president of the Warhington Builders’” Ex- change, was the general contractor on the entire construction and is to be complimented on the quality of the work, as well as the rapidity with which it was accomplished. Washingtonians have in this new mercantile institution an establishment of which they may be justly proud. It combines the beautiful with the practical to a degree seldom achieved and -is truly representative of the service and policy of Grosner's during their 43 years of business.