WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE NEWLY REIMAGINED SUB-ZERO, WOLF, AND COVE Showroom in Buckhead, you’re not just stepping into a retail space. You’re entering an 11,000-square-foot testament to what happens when a family business stays true to its values for generations.
Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove holds a unique distinction in today’s appliance industry: It’s the only family-owned, American-based manufacturer, and it’s been in the same family’s hands for eight decades. That’s not just a talking point or marketing copy. According to corporate chef George Laudun, who has been with the company for nearly 21 years, the Bakke family commitment is reflected in every facet of the company.
“I appreciate our brands, our company culture, and Jim Bakke’s dedication and leadership to his company,” Laudun says. “I’ve been to chefs’ conferences at the factory where Jim has actually been on the grill, cooking steaks for his culinarians. I don’t know of any company whose CEO is out doing something like that. The efforts across the board are monumental. We are a company with strong bones and dedicated people who love our brands. So much detail is layered in the entire process, from manufacturing to delivering to the consumer, that it’s too much to list. In my tenure, I have seen the same high standards for research and development, manufacturing and the ownership experience we hope to give our customers. It’s a great company, great people and products that are second to none. The new showroom offers many things such as sights, sounds, tastes, personalities and a unique glimmer of our company culture and what we offer in the marketplace.”
The Atlanta showroom isn’t designed to sell you anything. And that’s precisely the point. “There is no selling at the showroom, so there’s no pressure,” explains Hadley Roy, the showroom manager. “We’re here to help people get educated and informed.”
This no-pressure approach creates an environment where homeowners can dream, architects can verify specifications and designers can explore possibilities without the weight of a transaction hanging over every conversation. Whether visitors arrive in the early inspiration phase or with their builder’s specifications already in hand, the showroom meets them exactly where they are in their design journey.
Appliance models are thoughtfully organized into four distinct zones, each serving a specific purpose to help visitors understand not just what these appliances do but also how they can transform the way people live and entertain at home.
The Live Demonstration area features a fully equipped culinary space with seating for up to 40 guests. At least twice a month, Laudun conducts live cooking demonstrations, giving visitors the chance to see the brand’s appliances in action. “It’s a great experience for our customers to watch our chef cook on the equipment and see the appliances at work,” Roy says.
These demonstrations aren’t just about showing off impressive features. They’re about answering the questions that don’t come up in a product specification sheet: How does an induction cooktop actually feel to cook on? What’s the difference in performance between a gas and dual-fuel range? How does convection steam cooking change the texture and flavor of food?
For those who have already purchased Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove appliances, the showroom also offers classes on how to use and care for their investment. The space also regularly hosts industry events, bringing together architects, builders, designers and dealers.
The Gallery Area showcases the three leading brands that comprise the company’s portfolio: Sub-Zero refrigeration, Wolf cooking, Cove dishwashing, along with Best ventilation products.
The Lifestyle Area goes beyond appliances to show how these pieces integrate into real living. An upscale modern bar demonstrates the custom paneling options that make appliances look like fine furniture, rather than utilitarian equipment. Visitors can see and touch different textures and colors to see how function and design can merge seamlessly.
The Vignettes Area features seven beautifully designed kitchen settings, each with different layouts and finishes, spanning modern, traditional, transitional and other styles. There’s even a wine vignette, a speakeasy and an outdoor kitchen area for those dreaming of alfresco entertaining. These complete kitchen environments help visitors move beyond selecting individual appliances to envision entire cooking and entertaining spaces.
The showroom showcases more than 10 surface finishes, including marble, quartz, granite, porcelain and natural stone. This diverse selection helps visitors visualize not just individual appliances but entire kitchen ecosystems where every element works in harmony.
“If you’re building a dream kitchen, there may be things you’ve never heard of, so you can come in and see all of your choices,” Roy notes. “Then you can go back to your dealer and place
your order.”
This educational approach acknowledges a reality of modern kitchen design: The overwhelming number of choices can paralyze even the most decisive homeowner. By creating a space where people can see, touch and compare options without sales pressure, the showroom becomes a research tool rather than a retail environment.
Roy has her finger on the pulse of what’s capturing homeowners’ imaginations. Convection steam ovens, which combine steam and circulating hot air to cook food faster while retaining moisture and achieving textures ranging from tender and flaky to crispy and browned, are seeing growing interest. These versatile appliances represent a shift in how serious home cooks think about their equipment.
Induction cooking is gaining significant traction, especially among those moving away from gas. The desire for appliances that look like furniture rather than utilitarian equipment continues to grow. Custom paneling options allow refrigerators, dishwashers and other appliances to blend seamlessly into cabinetry, creating a cohesive aesthetic that puts design first.
“People are putting more emphasis on cooking and entertaining at home,” Roy says. The pandemic accelerated this trend, but it has proven to have staying power as homeowners reimagine their properties as havens for gathering family and friends.
She’s also seeing increased interest in outdoor kitchens that transform a home or vacation property into a true getaway. Meanwhile, sculleries, or working kitchens behind the central kitchen, are becoming more popular, especially in larger homes where serious cooking and entertaining happen regularly. These secondary prep spaces keep the central kitchen pristine while providing the functional workspace serious cooks need.
What sets this showroom apart isn’t just the square footage or the number of appliances on display. It’s the philosophy behind it. The staff owns many of the appliances themselves, bringing firsthand knowledge to every conversation. They’re not reading from spec sheets; they’re sharing their own experiences about what it’s like to live with these products day in and day out.
The Bakke family’s dedication to creating an experience unlike any other brand permeates every corner of the space. From the soaring ceilings to the thoughtful layout, from the live demonstrations to the hands-on exploration encouraged throughout the zones, everything reflects a company that has spent 80 years thinking not just about how to make great appliances but also about how to serve the people who use them.
“There are no other showrooms like this. We are really unique,” Roy says. “The family is dedicated to giving customers an elevated experience as no other brand does.”
The Atlanta showroom offers a tailored experience for prospective and current clients, design professionals and key industry partners. It’s more than a place to look at appliances. It’s where 80 years of American craftsmanship meets the future of home design, and where anyone can explore what’s possible in the heart of the home: the kitchen, where meals are prepared, celebrations happen and memories are made. *
Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.
