Williams Sonoma is an American chain of retail and online stores that are known for their high-quality cookware, tools, electrics, entertaining essentials and much more. The name of the company is a combination of the last name of the founder and the city where the company was started, Sonoma, California. The company sells furniture, kitchen wares, linens, housewares, home furnishings and much more.
Getting its start in 1956, Williams Sonoma was founded by Chuck Williams who turned a passion for cooking and enjoying meals with friends into an idea for a business that would grow into a major business empire. The store started out selling supplies for French cooking, inspired particularly by an omelet pan and souffle mold Williams had experienced while in Paris. Moving to San Francisco, adding a catalog and expanding into new areas, the business was a hit. Today, the company has more than 500 stores throughout the world.