Williams-Sonoma founder's retreat for sale — longtime hideaway for home-goods powerhouse has a secret wine cellar

New York Post

4 days ago

A storied estate once owned by the executive who built Williams-Sonoma into a household name is up for sale in Glen Ellen, California, asking $9.25 million.
The 9-acre property served for decades as the personal retreat of the late W. Howard Lester, the Oklahoma entrepreneur who transformed a single-store French cookware shop into a national, and luxe, retail powerhouse.
Lester acquired Williams-Sonoma in the 1970s for just $100,000, later adding Pottery Barn to his portfolio in 1986, according to a press release.
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13 The longtime Sonoma County estate of the late W. Howard Lester, the businessman who transformed Williams-Sonoma into a household name, is on the market for $9.25 million.
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13 W. Howard Lester at the Post Street store in San Francisco in the 1970s.
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He led the company until his death in 2010, during which time it became synonymous with upscale kitchen and home goods.
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Following Lester's passing, his family sold the estate in 2017 for $6 million in an all-cash deal, according to public records.
Daniel Casabonne of Sotheby's International Realty, who holds the current listing along with colleague Gina Clyde, told Mansion Global, that buyer was 'a young Bay Area tech executive' who subsequently took out a $4 million loan.
13 Located on 9 acres in Glen Ellen, the property includes a modern farmhouse, a guest cabin — and manicured grounds with a pond, pool and trails.
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13 Lester, who bought the brand for $100,000 in the 1970s and later acquired Pottery Barn, owned the home for nearly four decades before his family sold it in 2017 for $6 million to a young Bay Area tech executive.
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13 The current owner extensively renovated and nearly doubled the estate's size, adding contemporary touches while preserving its wine country charm — including a secret wine cellar, a sunroom and a skylit kitchen.
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13 The sunroom.
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13 One of three bedrooms.
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13 A second bedroom.
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The new owner undertook a sweeping renovation, nearly doubling the size of the existing structure.
It's 'a statement in casual & refined wine country living,' reads the listing, which showcases the reimagined residence now outfitted with a modern pool, expanded interiors and upgraded amenities.
The main home, a sprawling modern farmhouse, features a dramatic great room with beamed ceilings and paneled wood walls, a dining area with a concealed wine cellar and a sunlit yellow kitchen anchored by a skylit island.
The three-bedroom layout includes a primary suite with a central soaking tub flanked by dual walk-in closets, and a children's wing fitted with custom bunk beds and rustic sliding doors.
13 An ensuite bathroom.
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13 A pool that can light up at night.
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13 The home offers plenty of room for al fresco dining.
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13 The pond.
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13 The listing, held by Daniel Casabonne and Gina Clyde of Sotheby's International Realty, notes its proximity to the original Williams-Sonoma store and Jack London State Park.
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Beyond the interiors, the grounds offer rolling lawns, a pond, walking trails and a separate guest cabin tucked beside a creek.
The property sits minutes from Jack London State Park and a short drive from the original Williams-Sonoma store in downtown Sonoma, a detail Casabonne noted as a fitting full-circle connection to the brand's roots.