Williams-Sonoma

Wonderful store. Every time we’ve visited the staff has been helpful and have made great suggestions.

This Williams-​Sonoma is one of the best staff I have ever encountered. It’s a small store and there are always great deals lurking about. The staff is awesome. They are very sociable and always willing to help you. I always hit the sidewalk and seasonal sales at this location first. The Store is tight and I cannot stress that enough, it sometimes gets a little hectic in there.

I love everything about Williams-​Sonoma, plain and simple. This location was very conveinent for us, and it always has everything we need. Whenever something wasn’t available, the staff was always ready to help us order it online. The gift wrapping is always a great option too. I’ll continue to use this location when I am in the area.

I recently called this location to find out if they had any more StarWars cookie cutters. I was put on hold for TEN MINTUES! I hung up and called back and told them this. Their excuse was «there’s a sidewalk sale going on; very hectic.» (which is why you should schedule more workers that day). I was put on hold again for only about three minutes. The woman came back on the phone saying she’s checked upstairs and outside and they don’t have any more. As I was in the middle of saying, «okay, thank you» she hung up on me! Horrible customer service; even if it is busy you don’t leave someone on hold for 10 minutes. You know what I did for that period of time? I got dressed, put makeup on, and went to the restroom. They are obviously not punctual over there or I wouldn’t have been kept waiting for so long! Will not call again.
Otherwise, not horrible customer service when you go into the store. Just a bit pricey.

My dad and I came in here on the 23^rd to finish up our shopping for my mom. We found the items we wanted, then got in line to pay. After waiting a long time for the cashier to put the previous customer’s items in a clear bag, it was our turn. The cashier rang up our items and my dad swiped his credit card… very normal… It took a few moments for the card to process and apparently he didn’t respond quickly enough to the signature prompt on the terminal because this woman unloaded on him. She literally screamed at him that he wasn’t signing fast enough and that he was holding up the line. There was no one behind us and, anyway, the employees at this store never seem to be in much of a rush (as exhibited, in this case, by how long she spent arranging the previous customer’s bag). I have worked retail and I understand that Christmastime is stressful, but there is no reason whatsoever to scream at an adult (a paying customer, no less) like that when a simple, civil «please sign» would suffice. She should stay calm, or at least reserve her rage for shoplifters or people who knock down displays. (The receipt says she was associate #321 325, if management reads these things.)

Okay, I admit it. Williams-​Sonoma is one of my favorite retailers. There. I wrote it and I am not ashamed. I am not ashamed, because Williams-​Sonoma has kitchen power-​tools. You can get powdercoat oven-​cured, or stainless steel power tools; shiny or brushed, yet! (If you want plastic, meh, fine. Your life, wimp.) Williams-​Sonoma also offers great, heavy duty, higher-​end cookware that could last a lifetime between decent care and storage habits, and the kick-​ass manufacturer warranties that finer cookware typically feature. So, what do you do with your new cook wear? (Duh, rotate your tires?) Williams-​Sonoma has an array of cookbooks, ‘easy’ to ‘WTF?’ difficulty level. I personally ascribe to the «If I can read, I can cook» mindset (I know delusional but, hey, delusion works for me). However, if you feel that you are in too deep, usually characterized by dread accompanied by a mounting sense of impending doom (so I have been told), just ask any of the employees there to talk you down. They do not snap. They do not bite. In fact, they practically will hold your hand and offer reassurance as you level with them about what you are about in the kitchen. Don’t tell them tall tales. They are there to help. (Remember, if they laugh it only means that they like you.) However, if you insist that cooking an entire meal would be moving too fast (baby), Williams-​Sonoma also offers cooking sauces and other pantry, the shelved closet in your kitchen, items. If you cannot manage to open a jar, Williams-​Sonoma offers cooking classes. Oh, and there’s gadgets there … hundreds! They even have stuff to help mop up the water you sprayed to contain the freak flash-​fire that suddenly broke out as you were preparing your first meal or warming carry out. («Defective stove.» That’s my story and I am sticking to it.)
In the event that you actually prepare a meal and may require dishes, glassware, flatware, serving plates and bowls, yup, Williams-​Sonoma can set you up, A-​Z, without having to run laps to hell and back as one does in a department store to find items which do not come close to the quality of items that one typically finds at Williams-​Sonoma. You would be challenged to find another store like it, with staff so willing to help, whether you seek a kitchen power-​tool or gadget of the quality that you cannot find elsewhere, or a tip or two about food preparation technique, cooking classes, a standout host or hostess gift, even a side-​dish suggestion as you checkout. The only criticism I have is about the limited limited space in the store, which does affect how much stock that can appear in their retail space. Sometimes a needed item may be stored in the basement, so it requires that an employee take a trip down there to determine if an item is there, and in what quantity. If it is busy, through no fault of the store staff, it can take a while. Then again, I would miss the store location. Anyway, tell them I sent you and I guarantee that they will ask you, «Who?». ;o)

First, it’s so wonderful to have a Williams-​Sonoma in Market Square. Many local businesses make you pay for the locale but the prices are comparable to any other Williams-​Sonoma.
Any time I’ve entered the store I am always warmly greeted. With any question, no matter how random, the staff always works hard to help out.
Due to the limited amount of floor space they often have items available downstairs. So if you don’t see something you want, always ask. And if they don’t have it, they can order it off the site and have it sent to the store to save you shipping.

I had heard about a new cooking class series at Williams Sonoma through the Tasting Table blog and decided I just had to check it out! Apparently, Williams Sonoma stores nationwide have started their latest classes: the Sous Chef Series. The first recipe on the schedule was provided by Tom Colicchio’s sous chef, James Tracey, from Tom’s NY restaurant, Craft. I signed up at the Lake Forest store, which was entirely out of my way. But my local WS store was full, unfortunately. When I arrived in Lake Forest, I observed their employee, Maria, expertly cut up brussels sprouts, pearl onions, rutabaga, radish, and carrots to roast with a 4lb chicken stuffed with butter, sage, thyme, rosemary, and garlic. The whole thing just smelled heavenly. Luckily, they provide you with a recipe card so that you can recreate the meal at home! And based on the yummy caramelized goodness of those brussels sprouts alone, I will for sure be making the dish sometime this winter. It took about 45 minutes for the whole thing to cook, so I went outside in search of a small lunch in the town square.
When I couldn’t wait any longer to go back to Williams Sonoma, I ventured over there through the cold and foudn that the vegetables were done, even if the chicken needed more time to roast. Maria graciously spooned out some of the roasted veggies for me to try. Everything melted in my mouth. The brussels sprouts were wonderfully sweet and soft, and I even enjoyed the turnip and rutabaga! Delicious.
The Sous Chef series will take place once a month at Williams Sonoma stores. You can sign up online so make sure not to miss the next class. Bring a friend to make it a social experience! You’ll learn how to make your own social meal that will be restaurant-​quality. What could be better?