In 1956, our founder, Chuck Williams, turned a passion for cooking and eating with friends into a small business with a big idea. He opened a store in Sonoma, California, to sell the French cookware that intrigued him while visiting Europe but that could not be found in America.

Why is it called William Sonoma?

He continued to travel and search out new culinary products; three years later, he bought a hardware store in downtown Sonoma, California, which he converted into a French cookware store. Its name was obvious: Williams-Sonoma.

Who started Williams-Sonoma?

In 1956, our founder, Chuck Williams, turned a passion for cooking and eating with friends into a small business with a big idea. He opened a store in Sonoma, California, to sell the French cookware that intrigued him while visiting Europe but that could not be found in America.