Store History

In 1956, Chuck Williams opened his first cookware shop in Sonoma, California, offering classic French cooking equipment many Americans had never seen before.

As the business grew, Chuck relocated the store to San Francisco, and from there Williams Sonoma expanded to retail locations across the globe.

Half a century later, we were able to bring the original Sonoma store and adjacent home back into our
company family.

Following a meticulous restoration, the store reopened in 2014 as a testament to the enduring legacy of Chuck Williams, the Merchant of Sonoma.