Pottery Barn

The Pottery Barn was co-founded in 1949 by Paul Secon and his brother Morris in Chelsea, Manhattan. Paul discovered three barns full of pottery from the factory of Glidden Parker in Alfred, New York, who had stored extras and seconds up the road from the business, hence the inspiration of the chain's name.{{cite web|last1=Miller|first1=Stephen|title=Paul Secon, 91, Founded Pottery Barn|url=http://www.nysun.com/obituaries/paul-secon-91-founded-pottery-barn/49862/|work=The Sun|access-date=April 3, 2017}} The Secon brothers built their chain up to seven stores. Paul sold his share in 1966 and Morris sold his to a pair of outside partners in 1968.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/08/business/08secon.html|title=Paul Secon, 91, Who Helped Found Pottery Barn Chain, Dies|last=Hevesi|first=Dennis|date=March 8, 2007|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 28, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} The new owner expanded the chain to 13 stores before selling it to The Gap in 1984.

The company was acquired by Williams-Sonoma, Inc. in 1986.{{cite web |title=Pottery Barn |website=Williams-Sonoma, Inc. |date=1986|url=https://www.williams-sonomainc.com/brands/pottery-barn.html}}{{cite news |title=Williams-Sonoma Acquires Pottery Barn |url=https://mergr.com/williams-sonoma-acquires-pottery-barn |work=Mergr |date=September 1, 1986 |format=M&A Deal Summary}} Growth continued until the Great Recession.{{Cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2017/05/28/pottery-barn-retail-pain/|title=Pottery Barn's big problem: Your tiny apartment|first=Sarah Halzack | The Washington|last=Post|date=May 28, 2017}} Its mail-order catalog was first published in 1987. In 1999, the company introduced Pottery Barn Kids as a premium children's home furnishing and accessories brand.{{Cite news|last=Pollock|first=Sean|title=Starry homeware giant Williams‑Sonoma brings Pottery Barn Kids to Arnotts|language=en|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/starry-homeware-giant-williams-sonoma-brings-pottery-barn-kids-to-arnotts-p9brk95lb|access-date=April 30, 2020|issn=0140-0460}} By 2000, the company had launched an e-commerce site for quick ordering process.{{Cite web|title=Pottery Barn Builds Its Online Home|url=https://www.dmnews.com/marketing-channels/news/13094905/pottery-barn-builds-its-online-home|website=DMNews.com|language=en|access-date=April 30, 2020}}

Pottery Barn Teen, the first home retailer to focus on teenagers, was launched in 2003. The first Pottery Barn Teen store opened in Georgia in 2009, as well as in New York City and Chicago. The store has a sub-brand Pottery Barn Dorm for young people starting college life.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/stores-offering-designer-dorm-gear-for-the-college-bound/2011/08/15/gIQARdEaPJ_story.html|title=Stores offering designer dorm gear for the college-bound|last=Johnson|first=Jenna|date=August 19, 2011|work=Washington Post|access-date=November 10, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}

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In 2017, the company introduced an augmented reality app for iOS that allowed users to virtually place Pottery Barn products into a room and save room design ideas.{{Cite web|url=https://www.retaildive.com/news/pottery-barn-launches-ar-app-for-ios/511949/|title=Williams-Sonoma launches AR iOS app for Pottery Barn - Retail Business Review|website=www.retail-business-review.com|access-date=December 28, 2017}} It also announced PB Apartment, a small-space furnishings line, for millennials.{{Cite web|title=A Smart Furniture Line for Apartment Dwellers|url=https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/pottery-barn-pb-apartment-small-spaces-furniture|last=Keller|first=Hadley|website=Architectural Digest|language=en|access-date=April 30, 2020}}

In 2018, Pottery Barn Kids partnered with John Lewis which marked the first appearance of the brand in the United Kingdom. Its shop-in-shops featured furniture and accessories for nurseries.{{Cite web|title=Pottery Barn Kids bringing wholesale business to the UK|url=https://www.retaildive.com/news/pottery-barn-kids-bringing-wholesale-business-to-the-uk/519755/|website=Retail Dive|language=en-US|access-date=April 30, 2020}} Ireland became the first European country to hold the franchise for Pottery Barn Kids in 2019. Pottery Barn Teens partnered with Aquafil on the Spring 2020 collection "Watercolor Dots" rug, which uses regenerated nylon made from waste gathered in the ocean and other bodies of water.{{Cite web|title=Pottery Barn Teen, Aquafil partner for a new sustainable rug|url=https://www.furnituretoday.com/rugs/pottery-barn-teen-aquafil-partner-for-a-new-sustainable-rug/|date=December 30, 2019|website=Furniture Today|language=en-US|access-date=April 30, 2020}}

Pottery Barn is referenced a number of times in Friends. For instance, when Rachel buys furniture for Phoebe's apartment (which she is staying in at the time), and claims it's all authentically old furniture, rather than being from Pottery Barn.{{Citation|last=Bright|first=Kevin|title=The One with the Apothecary Table|date=January 6, 2000|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0583572/|others=Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow|access-date=December 8, 2017}}

Another example is in Seinfeld, Kramer talks with Jerry about how he is receiving too many catalogs from Pottery Barn. He saves the collected catalogs, takes them, and throws them into the store.{{cite web |author1=Pomorski, Chris |title=Junk Mail? The Pros and Cons of Restoration Hardware’s 17-Pound Catalog |url=https://observer.com/2014/08/junk-mail-the-pros-and-cons-of-restoration-hardwares-17-pound-catalog/ |website=Observer |date=August 12, 2014 |quote=In revenge, he throws his catalogs at the doorstep of a Manhattan Pottery Barn.}}

Sheldon Cooper references it often in The Big Bang Theory. 

A Pottery Barn retail store is seen situated next to Felix Unger's Manhattan F.U. Enterprises office/studio in The Odd Couple's first season in 1970.{{Citation|title="The Odd Couple" Oscar, the Model (TV Episode 1970)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0664262/trivia|access-date=December 8, 2017}}

Pottery Barn is referenced in the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, as a location where the title character works. He informs another character that he can get her and her family a discount in "overpriced home décor."{{Cite web|title=The Real-Life Story That Inspired Dear Evan Hansen, What Will Change in the London Run, and More From New York Comic Con|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/the-real-life-story-that-inspired-dear-evan-hansen-what-will-change-in-the-london-run-and-more-from-new-york-comic-con|last=Kearse|first=Kerri|date=October 8, 2019|website=Playbill|language=en|access-date=April 30, 2020}}

In the season 3 episode of the American family sitcom Boy Meets World titled "What I Meant to Say", Corey Matthews confesses to his girlfriend, Topanga Lawrence, that he loves her. Eric Matthews, Corey's older brother, then under social pressure, tells his girlfriend, Christie, that he loves her as well. This leads Christie to take Eric on a trip to Pottery Barn, which Eric laments. While at Pottery Barn, Eric and Christie buy a ceramic cat and napkin holders.{{Cite web |title=is pottery barn still in business |url=https://manzelan.com/is-pottery-barn-still-in-business/ |access-date=July 28, 2020 |website=www.manzelan.com |language=en}}{{Citation|title=What I Meant to Say|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0530977/|access-date=July 28, 2020}}

The brand's "Found" collection sells vintage items from around the world.{{Cite news|last=Weinstein|first=Emily|date=October 26, 2011|title=All That Authenticity May Be Getting Old|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/garden/all-that-authenticity-may-be-getting-old.html|access-date=April 30, 2020|issn=0362-4331}} The company has partnered on collections with a number of pop cultural brands such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, Frozen, Thomas & Friends, Fantastic Beasts, and Friends.{{Cite web|title=Pottery Barn is releasing a Friends collection for the show's 25th anniversary|url=https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/7/12/20692316/pottery-barn-friends-collab-collection|last=Plante|first=Stephie Grob|date=July 12, 2019|website=Vox|language=en|access-date=April 30, 2020}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Pottery Barn}}

{{Williams-Sonoma}}

{{Gap Inc.}}

Category:Retail companies established in 1949

Category:Home decor retailers

Category:Furniture retailers of the United States

Category:Retail companies based in California

Category:Companies based in San Francisco

Category:Williams-Sonoma

Category:American companies established in 1949

Category:1949 establishments in New York City

Category:1986 mergers and acquisitions