MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Former U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, who represented Wisconsin for 24 years, died at home at age 88 after a brief illness. In the Senate he was a watchdog on federal spending. He was a Democrat who earlier served as the party’s Wisconsin state chair. He immigrant parents operated a corner grocery store in Milwaukee. He and a brither together built a chain of 50 upscale groceries in Wisconsin. They followed up with the Kohls department stores, which eventually eclipsed JCPenney as the department store retailer in the nation. These enterprises were eventually sold. For sports fans Kohl was known for his $18 million purchase of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball franchise and seeing the hometown team financially through 29 years of mostly losing seasons. In he Senate he was an advocate for working families, small-business owners, and the elderly.
Kohl. Legacy includes Kohls retail chain and Milwaukee Bucks.