In 1947 Chuck Williams arrived in Sonoma, CA with the idea of building homes—first as a contractor, later as the owner of a hardware shop and finally as the founder of the first Williams-Sonoma store for cooks. Half a century later that small cookware shop has evolved into a multi-billion dollar retailing leader whose products encompass every room in the home. This is the story of how it happened.
begin the story
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1953
During the late 1940s and early '50s, Chuck Williams worked as a contractor in Sonoma, CA. Also during this time he became part of a circle of friends who loved to cook and eat together. In 1953, Chuck and a couple of these friends traveled to Paris and were introduced to classic French cooking equipment—specialized items like omelet pans and soufflé molds whose quality he'd never seen in the U.S.
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1953
"Cookware stores like Dehillerin or the housewares section of Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville in Paris were unlike anything most Americans had ever seen. I was completely fascinated not only by the vast array of kitchen tools and accessories, but also how they were displayed. Pots and pans in every conceivable shape and size, all out in the open."
- Chuck Williams
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1956
When Chuck returned from Europe he decided he wanted to do something different with his life. So, in 1954 he purchased a hardware store in downtown Sonoma with the intention of converting it into a store specializing in French cookware. Within two years the shovels and electrical tape had been replaced with copper pans and chef's knives—and the first Williams-Sonoma store was born.
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1956
"When I opened the first store, I designed a logo using a woodcut illustration of a pineapple. Pineapples have been a symbol of hospitality since the days of the American colonies. When sea captains returned home from voyages, they would spear pineapples onto their fence posts to let neighbors know that their homes were open to visitors. To this day the pineapple remains an important part of our identity."
- Chuck Williams
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1958
Many of Williams-Sonoma's first customers lived in nearby San Francisco. As word of the store spread, it became apparent that a move to the city would allow Chuck to introduce more people to the cookware he had discovered overseas. The location he chose was just a couple blocks from Union Square, the center of San Francisco's shopping district.
"Our store was located just down the block from Elizabeth Arden, and many of our early customers were women who just happened to be walking by on their way to get their hair done. There were also a couple of women's clubs right around the corner, and a large medical building just down the street. The lesson of having a good location wasn't lost on us."
- Chuck Williams
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1972
Jackie Mallorca, a customer and copywriter for a local San Francisco advertising agency, approached Chuck one day with the idea of producing a catalog for the Williams-Sonoma store. Chuck asked the advice of a business acquaintance, Edward Marcus. Marcus (who had supervised the Neiman Marcus catalog for over ten years) agreed that the idea was good and the timing was right.
"Jackie was intrigued with what I was doing. She came in one day and said, "You need a catalog and I can create one for you." I think she wanted to prove to herself that she could do it, and prove to us that it could be a real business. Well, she was right, and she continued to work on the catalog right up to just a few years ago."
- Chuck Williams
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1972
By 1972, Williams-Sonoma's store had expanded to twice its original size and the new catalog business was growing with every issue. It was starting to become apparent that to continue growing would mean involving more people. So, with the help of a few business partners, including Edward Marcus, Chuck established Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
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1973
"Right after forming the corporation, we opened the Beverly Hills store on Rodeo Drive. The rent was high, but right from the beginning the store was very successful. So the next year we opened another store in Palo Alto and Costa Mesa followed shortly after that. Like San Francisco, all the other stores were located in upscale, retail neighborhoods."
- Chuck Williams
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1976
After a few years the catalog business was starting to outgrow the small basement offices it occupied down the street from the San Francisco store. So, in 1976 the operation moved to a more suitable location. A number of sites were considered, but the new catalog distribution center finally found a home in Emeryville, CA, just across the bay from San Francisco.
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1978
Howard Lester, an entrepreneur from Oklahoma, was searching for a new business opportunity. While traveling through California he came across the Williams-Sonoma store in Beverly Hills and was impressed with what he saw. Within a few months of meeting Chuck Williams, Howard and a friend purchased the company and Howard assumed the role of president and CEO.
"I wanted to try something different. Retail seemed like it would be challenging and fun. I was also very intrigued by how Chuck selected and merchandised his products. The company was small at that point and even though my background was in computers, I had had a lot of success in growing small companies."
- Howard Lester
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1978
If the '60s brought a cultural renaissance, the late '70s saw a reformation. Attitudes toward food underwent dramatic shifts. Healthier foods, ethnic foods, fine wines and commercial grade appliances such as the food processor became popular. Williams-Sonoma not only introduced the U.S. to many of these ideas, it actually helped make them part of American popular culture.
"The 1970s were an exciting time. A lot of the things I loved about cooking were starting to catch on. People were experimenting more. They were using things like woks and drinking good wines out of real wine glasses. They were even starting to invest in appliances like Kitchen Aid blenders. We were one of the few places you could find any of this stuff."
- Chuck Williams
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1982
While Williams-Sonoma, Inc. got its start in the kitchen, the early 1980s saw us begin to expand into other areas of the home. In 1982 the company purchased Gardeners Eden - a catalog offering plants, tools and garden related accessories. After more than a decade of supplying "green thumbs" everywhere, Gardener's Eden was sold in 1999.
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1983
"We were definitely at a crossroads. Financially we were in a very good position, but we wanted to build more stores and grow the catalog operation. The stock market was doing very well at this time, and it was the most efficient way to raise the money we needed. We couldn't have expanded the way we did over the next few years without having gone public."
- Howard Lester
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1983
With the successful addition of Gardener's Eden, it was decided that the company should create a new catalog concept. The inspiration behind Hold Everything came from a visit Chuck Williams made to a Dallas warehouse store that specialized in storage containers, shelving and organizational products.
"We had been thinking of starting a new catalog when a new employee from Dallas recommended that I stop by this big store that had recently opened there. They sold plastic boxes, corrugated cartons to pack things in, canning jars and all that kind of stuff. It was an interesting idea and we all agreed that it would make a good mail-order business."
- Chuck Williams
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1984
With three growing catalog businesses it became increasingly obvious that a larger distribution center was needed. Memphis, Tennessee was selected because of its central location - important because of the growing number of customers on the East Coast. The new center opened at 450,000 square feet and today our distribution operations in the Memphis area have expanded to more than four million square feet.
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1985
The holdeverything catalog was an immediate success. By 1985, a retail version of the concept was opened in Corte Madera, a quiet, upscale suburb north of San Francisco. In July 2006 the holdeverything brand was absorbed into other Williams-Sonoma, Inc. brands.
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1986
With all of its recent successes outside the kitchen, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. took the next step toward becoming a leader in the home furnishings market with the acquisition of Pottery Barn. At the time, Pottery Barn consisted of 21 stores, mostly in Manhattan, that focused on selling dinnerware, ceramics and a limited selection of furniture.
"A year after purchasing Pottery Barn, we launched the catalog. At the time we didn't know just how much of the house Pottery Barn would eventually encompass, but we did know that a large market existed for high-quality home furnishings."
- Howard Lester
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1986
Chuck Williams has acquired more knowledge about the kitchen and cooking than many professional chefs, but it wasn't until 1986 that he published his first book, "The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook with a Guide to Kitchenware." Since then, Chuck has written or edited more than 100 cookbooks, including the best-selling Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library series.
"There's no shortage of cookbooks nowadays. You can walk into any bookstore and find one on every type of food imaginable. But back in 1986 that wasn't the case. And to make matters worse, most of the cookbooks that were out there were very complicated. I've always loved good, simple, easy to make food and that's what all my cookbooks emphasize."
- Chuck Williams
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1989
In 1989, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. took another step towards a leadership position in the home-furnishings market with the launch of the Chambers catalog. Chambers began by offering European linens and hotel-quality towels. It has since grown to include a collection of the finest bed and bath furnishings, soaps and sleepwear.
"Chambers was the logical follow-up to the Hold Everything concept. Now that we've organized people's closets, let's give them something to put in them. And like the products we offer through Hold Everything, Chamber's linens and towels are the highest-quality available anywhere in the world."
- Howard Lester
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1991
Since the opening of Williams-Sonoma's first store, wedding registries have been an important part of its business. In the early days, the registry was just a book that sat on the checkout counter. But in 1991 the bridal registries in every store across the country were linked by computer. This enabled friends and families to easily purchase gifts from any store nationwide. Williams-Sonoma became one of the first specialty retailers to take this step.
"The Williams-Sonoma computerized bridal registry proved to be so successful that a few years later we launched a similar one for Pottery Barn. Since 1995, the Pottery Barn bridal registry has continued to grow as quickly as its predecessor."
- Howard Lester
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1992
In 1992, Chuck Williams was named "Retailer of the Year" at the San Francisco Gourmet Products Show. In the following year, Chuck was added to the "Who's Who of Food and Beverage" by the James Beard Foundation, who also honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995. Since then, his honors include:
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1994
By the early 1990s, both Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn were ready for an evolution. Newer, larger stores were designed with wider product selections and areas where customers could learn about and interact with products. The new Williams-Sonoma Grande Cuisine and Pottery Barn Design Studio store formats met with industry and consumer praise.
"The Williams-Sonoma Grande Cuisine stores allow us to provide customers with a complete shopping experience. It's not just about purchasing a bottle of olive oil. Customers can come to our tasting bar, sample a variety of oils, learn something about each one and make an informed purchase. A customer who does that will come back again and again."
- Chuck Williams
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1996
Starting in the mid-1990s, the combined growth of the catalog businesses required the construction of new Customer Care Centers. The first, in Las Vegas, NV, was opened in 1996. Two years later another opened in Oklahoma City, OK, and in 2000, a third was opened in Camp Hill, PA.
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1998
The company launched its corporate website to provide investors, analysts, reporters, prospective employees and customers timely information about the corporation, its finances and brands. The website was relaunched in 2001, with new features including stock-charting tools, an online job application process, and an expanded brand section.
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1999
The 1990s saw many new "e-tailers" quickly start up, and then just as quickly shut down. Williams-Sonoma took a cautious approach to all the buzz surrounding the Web. In 1999 we successfully launched an online version of the Williams-Sonoma bridal registry (www.wsweddings.com), as well as a Williams-Sonoma e-commerce site.
"We definitely took our time going online. We wanted to make sure we could provide the same kind of shopping experience on the Web that we do in our stores and through our catalog. That's why our website offers cooking and entertaining tips, gift ideas, helpful customer service, a simple bridal registry and a way to shop that's easy, fun and fast."
- Howard Lester
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1999
For some years, Pottery Barn customers had been asking for casual, comfortable, well-made and fashionable furnishings for their children. So, in 1999 the Pottery Barn Kids catalog was introduced, featuring a full line of furniture, bedding and more - all made especially for kids. It has since become the fastest growing catalog in the history of Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
"As Pottery Barn started offering products for more rooms of the home, it became clear that we needed to address this very special market. In some instances, like our popular sleigh beds, our designers took a product and literally shrunk it down. While in other cases, like our exclusive collection of toys, we looked to our own childhoods and children for inspiration."
- Howard Lester
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2000
Some of Pottery Barn's most successful products are those that were designed for the bedroom and bath. So, in 2000, the Pottery Barn Bed + Bath catalog was launched to provide a more focused and in-depth exploration of products for these two rooms - from quilts and nightstands, to towels and faucets. The catalog has already proven to be a financial and creative success.
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2000
The launch of PotteryBarn.com raised the bar for online shopping experiences. The site features a simple design, easy-to-use navigation and a quick ordering process. But what really sets it apart is the Home Tour - a virtual tour of a home filled with Pottery Barn products that customers can "walk through" as they shop. The site was awarded "Best of the Web" by Forbes.
"The Home Tour really is the next big thing in online shopping. It allows our customers to see 360º views of rooms filled with that season's Pottery Barn merchandise. And customers can learn how to recreate some of our best ideas in their own home."
- Howard Lester
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2000
The Pottery Barn Kids catalog received such an enthusiastic reception from consumers in 1999, that eight retails stores were opened across the United States the following year. 2001 saw more than twice as many store openings, including the first Canadian stores, and the much anticipated launch of www.PotteryBarnKids.com.
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2001
In June 2001 we celebrated the arrival of the online channel of our children's home furnishings business - www.potterybarnkids.com. As the latest addition to already successful retail and catalog businesses, potterybarnkids.com was a natural extension of the Pottery Barn Kids brand, enabling our customers to shop across the country and around the clock. In the fall, we also introduced the Pottery Barn Kids Gift Registry which makes it easy for parents to register for new babies or birthdays, and simplifies gift giving.
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2001
Building on our company's strong wedding and gift registry business, Pottery Barn integrated its popular registry into the potterybarn.com eCommerce site. Now fully integrated across retail, catalog and Internet channels, our customers can register from the convenience of their computer for every room in their home - from leather couches and chairs, to signature bedding and bath.
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2001
In the Fall of 2001, Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids opened the company's first Canadian stores in Toronto. Additional stores were then opened in Vancouver and Calgary. Many Canadians had shopped for years at our U.S. retail stores, and our entry into Canada was a direct response to the demand there for high quality products for the home.
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2002
Premiering in April 2002, the west elm catalog marked the brand's launch. West elm is a distinctly modern, design driven home furnishings brand. From its inception, the catalog has enjoyed impressive growth and continues to reach mass audience that appreciates great design at an affordable price point.
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2003
"PBteen allows teens to reflect who they are when designing their personal space. It is so important for teens to be creative and to be offered products that encourage self expression. PBteen fits the niche between Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids. The concept grew from the needs of our Pottery Barn Kids customers who requested that our products grow along with the needs of their children."
- Laura Alber, President
The brand offers products in five key categories: furniture, rugs, lighting, bedding and accessories. PBteen includes hip, exclusively designed lifestyle collections for bedrooms, study and lounge areas. PBteen offers the same high quality and excellent customer service that customers have come to expect from all Pottery Barn brands. The premier catalog was released nationwide in April 2003.
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2003
In 2003 we gathered some of our favorite secrets into the Pottery Barn Design Library, a series of sourcebooks for home decorating. In line with our idea that a home can be an endless source of inspiration, the series continues its expansion into many areas of the American home.
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2003
In September 2003, only five months after the launch of the PBteen catalog, PBteen launched the online sibling of its teenage home furnishing business - www.pbteen.com. The website offers an interactive shopping experience with a look and feel that caters to the teenage customer. In addition to online shopping and decorating tips, the site includes product demos and exclusive online contests for customers.
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2003
west elm launched its e-commerce site October 2003. Based on their customer base, the response was immediate and it quickly became another strong channel for the brand. The webite allows the user to shop by item or by room and there is also a special "gifts" section.
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2003
west elm opened its first retail store November 2003 in the D.U.M.B.O. (down under the Manhattan Bridge overpass) section of Brooklyn, N.Y. The up and coming neighborhood located on the Brooklyn waterfront was a great fit for the brand as it is the home to west elm's target customer. The opening was a great success and only the beginning of west elm's expansion into the retail channel.
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2004
Premiering in September 2004, the Williams-Sonoma Home catalog marked the concept's launch. Photographed in some of California's most beautiful homes, the catalog images create an atmosphere of luxurious comfort with an emphasis on the casually elegant West Coast lifestyle and hospitality. In addition to fine linens, furniture and accessories, the catalog promotes the brand's extensive upholstered-furniture collection, which offers a range of exclusive frames and fabrics with 45-day delivery.
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2004
holdeverything launched its e-commerce site in November 2004 to immediate success. Promoted to the existing customer base, the Web site quickly grew into another strong channel for the brand. The site allowed the user to shop by room category, by keyword or by item number via a quick-shop feature, and promoted a new "Best of Everything" collection each season. With its colorful design, playful image and easy navigation, the site offered customers a uniquely appealing shopping experience. The site was closed when holdeverything brand was absorbed by other Williams-Sonoma, Inc. brands in July 2006.
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2005
The first Williams-Sonoma Home store opened in September 2005 on Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood, California. Unlike traditional home furnishings stores, the Williams-Sonoma Home structure and merchandise strategy is designed to mirror a home from the grand foyer at the entrance, to the bedrooms with adjacent bathrooms to the dining and living areas. This approach to selling home furnishings inspires people to shop for their own homes. In addition, the store features a design-consultation space for customers to meet with complimentary Williams-Sonoma Home design consultants, peruse fabrics or simply enjoy a cappuccino while they shop.
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2006
Williams-Sonoma Home launched its e-commerce site in fall 2006 to immediate success. Promoted to the existing customer base, the Web site quickly grew into another strong channel for the brand. The site allows the user to shop by room category, by keyword or by item number via a quick-shop feature, and promotes a new "Furniture Preview Tool".
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2006
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is committed to environmental stewardship, and more specifically, to sound paper procurement practices that ensure the sustainability of forests and other natural resources. We were given the FSC designation for our successful efforts. We have initiated these practices within a framework of sound business disciplines that ensure that we can meet the commitments we have made to all of our stakeholders: employees, customers, and shareholders. We continue to work to develop new and additional company-wide initiatives to promote sustainability across all aspects of our business.
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2006
50 years ago this September, a carpenter and gourmet home cook named Chuck Williams turned a hardware store in the town of Sonoma, California into a cookware shop and forever changed the way Americans cook. After returning from a 1953 trip to Paris with friends,Williams was inspired to bring the high quality products so readily available in France back to the United States.
Chuck opened his first shop in Sonoma, CA in the Fall of 1956. Today, there are over 260 Williams-Sonoma stores across the country, many of them selling some of the same time tested products Chuck introduced in the 1950's. In honor of their 50th anniversary, Williams-Sonoma is offering some of their iconic products such as the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer and Le Creuset Round Dutch Oven in Sonoma Green, the color of the awning on Chuck William's original Sonoma store.
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2006
Chuck was honored as a Visionary Retailer at the seventh annual Giants of Design Awards presented by House Beautiful in New York City on May 11th. Standing alongside Chuck at this year's back tie event at Cipriani 42nd Street were Frank Gehry (Architecture), Vera Wang (Tastemaker), Julius Shulman (Photography) and Bunny Williams (Interior Design).
