Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is an American publicly traded consumer retail company that sells kitchenwares and home furnishings. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States. It is one of the largest e-commerce retailers in the U.S., and one of the biggest multi-channel specialty retailers in the world. The company operates retail stores throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and is known for its high-end home furnishings. The company was founded in 1956 by Charles E. Williams and has been publicly traded since 1983.