Home cooks will find lots of eye candy at ProKitchen. The Bethesda shop carries small appliances for the design-conscious, such as the Viking Professional Stand Mixer in bright blue or red. There are hefty John Boos butcher-block tables and pastel ceramics from Nigella Lawson. Danica napkins, flour-sack towels, and Napa Valley cooking sauces--we like the fig-and-roasted-shallot tapenade on pork--round out the offerings.

ProKitchen is the brainchild of two local couples: Greg and Detta Kiel and Andy and Laura Hunovice. Greg Kiel is owner of Next Day Signs, a fixture in downtown Bethesda, and Andy Hunovice has been running ProKitchen's Web site for five years.

The owners plan to offer demonstrations and let customers try out appliances in the store. Also on the drawing board are visits by local chefs and a knife-sharpening service.

Greg Kiel says he hopes to bring in goods by local artisans such as baskets and ceramics. He already has sweets from Bethesda chocolate-maker Barbara Norman of Blue Moon Chocolatier.

ProKitchen: 4914 Del Ray Ave., Bethesda; 301-986-8050.

Open Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 6 PM.