Williams-Sonoma is having a hard time setting up shop in the town of the same name. The city of Sonoma is trying to pass a moratorium on chain retail, and the poster child against such a ban is the fancy home store, trying to return to the town where it got its start in 1956. In the past fifty six years, San Francisco-based Williams-Sonoma has grown to 268 stores nationwide and owns other retail juggernauts Pottery Barn and West Elm. The proposed moratorium would require that "formula" businesses obtain a use permit and meet additional criteria,such as being in line with "Sonoma's unique and historic characteristics" before opening. Seems to us that Williams-Sonoma qualifies. Pass us the fancy cheese knives, please. [NBC Bay Area]
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