Williams-Sonoma

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a multi-channel specialty retailer focusing on high quality home furnishings based in San Francisco, CA. WSI has nine brands, six of which have brick and mortar locations: Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, West Elm, Rejuvenation and GreenRow. Williams Sonoma was originally founded in 1956 in Sonoma, California by Chuck Williams with his first specialty cookware store that still stands strong today.

Members on our Specialty Retail team have worked with WSI for over 15 years opening countless new stores, relocating existing stores from interior malls to outdoor centers and street locations where it makes sense from a branding and financial perspective, and finding outlet locations for excess inventory where needed.  SHOP currently handles the real estate needs for select markets in the western half of the United States and works closely with the WSI Real Estate team. We help to determine strategy for existing markets to understand the total number of stores needed in a market to maximize service to their customer base, which includes closing stores, relocations and finding new locations in untapped markets.

Each brand is at a different stage in their growth plans with unique customer profiles, so understanding consumer demographics and daily shopping patterns for each market is critical in determining course of action to maximize sales potential. SHOP works with local brokers to understand shifts in the marketplace and the effects of new developments on consumer habits. SHOP provides recommendations to WSI for: site selection, touring, LOI/lease negotiations and assistance with REC packages as needed.