1947 – Chuck Williams moves to Sonoma, CA.
1956 – Chuck Williams opens first Williams-Sonoma store in Sonoma, CA.
1958 – Store moves to San Francisco, CA. In-store bridal registry is started.
1971 – First Williams-Sonoma catalog is mailed.
1972 – Williams-Sonoma is incorporated.
1973 – Second Williams-Sonoma store is opened in Beverly Hills, CA, followed by a third in Palo Alto, CA, and a fourth in Costa Mesa, CA.
1977 – Distribution center opens in Emeryville, CA.
1978 – Howard Lester and Jay McMahan purchase Williams-Sonoma, Inc. First out-of-state Williams-Sonoma store opens in Dallas, TX.
1982 – Gardeners Eden catalog is purchased (sold in 1999).
1983 – Williams-Sonoma, Inc. goes public on the NASDAQ under the symbol WSGC.
1983 – First mailing of the Hold Everything catalog.
1984 – 450,000 sq. ft. distribution center opens in Memphis, TN.
1985 – First Hold Everything store opens in Corte Madera, CA.
1986 – 21 Pottery Barn stores are purchased.
1986 – First Williams-Sonoma cookbook is published.
1987 – First mailing of the Pottery Barn catalog.
1989 – First mailing of the Chambers catalog.
1991 – Memphis distribution center is expanded by 307,000 sq. ft.
1991 – Nationally-linked, computerized bridal registry launches in all Williams-Sonoma stores.
1992 – First of the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library cookbooks is published.
1992 – Chuck Williams receives first annual "Retailer of the Year" award at San Francisco Gourmet Products Show.
1993 – Total number of stores exceeds 200.
1994 – Chuck Williams is named to the "Who's Who of Food and Beverage" by the James Beard Foundation.
1994 – Launch of the Williams-Sonoma Grande Cuisine and Pottery Barn Design Studio store formats.
1994 – Chuck Williams' Simple American Cooking and Gifts from the Kitchen books are published.
1995 – Pottery Barn gift registry is launched.
1995 – Chuck Williams is awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the James Beard Foundation.
1996 – Williams-Sonoma celebrates its 40th anniversary.
1996 – Customer Care Center opens in Summerlin, NV.
1996 – The ten millionth Williams-Sonoma cookbook is printed, making it the best-selling cookbook series of the 1990s.
1997 – Chuck Williams publishes Celebrating the Pleasures of Cooking, a history of food in America.
1998 – Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is listed on the NYSE under the symbol WSM.
1998 – Williams-Sonoma, Inc. corporate website is launched.
1998 – Second Customer Care Center opens in Oklahoma City, OK.
1998 – Williams-Sonoma, Inc. exceeds $1 billion in sales.
1999 – Williams-Sonoma online bridal registry is launched.
1999 – Williams-Sonoma.com is launched.
1999 – Introduction of the Pottery Barn Kids catalog.
1999 – Number of stores passes 300 milestone.
2000 – Introduction of the Pottery Barn Bed + Bath catalog.
2000 – PotteryBarn.com is launched.
2000 – First Pottery Barn Kids store opens in Costa Mesa, CA, followed closely by 7 additional stores nationwide.
2000 – Third Customer Care Center opens in Camp Hill, PA.
2001 – Pottery Barn & Pottery Barn Kids online registries launched.
2001 – First Canadian Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids stores open.
2002 – Chuck Williams inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Culinary Institute of America.
2002 – First mailing of the west elm Catalog
2003 – Introduction of the PBteen catalog.
2003 – Pottery Barn Design Library is launched.
2003 – PBteen launches www.pbteen.com.
2003 – westelm.com is launched.
2003 – West Elm opens its first store.
2004 – Williams-Sonoma Home launches catalog.
2004 – holdeverything.com launches.
2004 – Chambers catalog ends 15 years of circulation and merges into the launch of the Williams Sonoma Home Catalog focusing exclusively on the premium level of the home furnishings market. A lifestyle brand that is classic with European inspired casual elegance.
2004 – Howard Lester celebrates 25 years of service with Williams Sonoma, Inc.
2004 – Williams Sonoma, Inc. with Weldon Owen Publishing celebrate the printing of 20 million cookbooks to include 172 titles.
2005 – Williams-Sonoma Home Opens First Store.
2005 – Patrick Connolly celebrates 25 years of service with Williams Sonoma, Inc.
2005 – Williams Sonoma, Inc. receives the National Retail Federation's coveted Innovator of the Year Award which recognizes a distinguished retailer who demonstrated leadership, creativity, forward thinking and innovation and has inspired the entire industry.
2005 – Williams Sonoma 'Foods of the World' series wins "best new cookbook series" from the 10th Gourmand International Cookbook Awards held in Sweden.
2005 – Williams-Sonoma Home opens its first retail store in Beverly Hills CA.
2005 – Chuck Williams receives Honorary Doctorate of Humane letters in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park.
2006 – Williams Sonoma, Inc. ends fourth quarter with 6 percent jump in profit rewarding investors with the company's first ever cash dividend.
2006 – Board of Directors of Rubicon Programs Inc. Acknowledges and awards Williams Sonoma for going above and beyond for Rubicon, our clients and community .
2006 – House Beautiful magazine awards Chuck Williams with Giants of Design 2006 Visionary Retailer.
2006 – Williams Sonoma, Inc. celebrates 50 years.
2006 – Williams Sonoma, Inc. with Weldon Owen Publishing celebrate the printing of 25 million cookbooks to include 220 titles.
2006 – Williams-Sonoma Home launches online catalog.
2006 – Hold everything stores close.
2006 – Williams-Sonoma Home.com launches.
2006 – Williams-Sonoma, Inc., achieves significant environmental goal; paper from sustainable harvested sources to be used in all catalogs.
2006 – Pottery Barn Bed and Bath opens stores in Orlando, Chelsea and Portland.
2006 – Williams-Sonoma, Inc., in participation with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital raised nearly $2.2 million.
2006 – Williams-Sonoma, Inc., wins the e-tailing group award for "e-tailing excellence" for excelling at online customer service in 2006.
2007 – Chuck Williams and Howard Lester receive Inc. Magazine Bernard A. Goldhirsh Lifetime Achievement Award an acknowledgement to those who honor the values and virtues of American entrepreneurship.
