# World Market

> World Market (legally Cost Plus World Market) is an American specialty retailer that has sold globally sourced furniture, home decor, gourmet foods, wine, coffee and gifts since 1958. From its first shop on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, it grew into a chain of roughly 240+ stores across the United States plus a fast-growing e-commerce business, built on the idea that a shopper in suburban America can fill a cart with hand-picked goods from dozens of countries at affordable prices.

- **Founded:** 1958
- **Headquarters:** Alameda, California, United States
- **Founders:** William Amthor (Co-founder), Lincoln Bartlett (Co-founder)
- **Team size:** Approximately 4,100-6,100 employees
- **Products:** Furniture & Home Decor, International Foods, Wine, Beer & Spirits, Coffee & Tea, Gifts & Seasonal
- **Notable:** Pioneered the affordable 'imported goods' retail concept in the U.S. starting in 1958, Grew to 258 stores across 39 states and Washington, D.C. at its peak, Went public on NASDAQ in 1996

## Products & services

- **Furniture & Home Decor** — Globally inspired furniture, rugs, lighting, textiles and decorative accessories sourced from around the world.
- **International Foods** — Gourmet and specialty foods, snacks and pantry items representing world cuisines.
- **Wine, Beer & Spirits** — A curated selection of imported and domestic wine, craft beer and spirits available in many stores.
- **Coffee & Tea** — Imported coffee blends, teas and related accessories.
- **Gifts & Seasonal** — Unique gift items, candles and seasonal/holiday decor.
- **E-commerce (worldmarket.com)** — Online retail platform offering the full assortment with delivery and store pickup.

## Achievements

- Pioneered the affordable 'imported goods' retail concept in the U.S. starting in 1958
- Grew to 258 stores across 39 states and Washington, D.C. at its peak
- Went public on NASDAQ in 1996
- Launched Craft by World Market, a crowdsourcing marketplace, in 2014
- Returned to store growth in October 2024 after years of limited expansion

## Latest updates

- **2021-01** — Kingswood Capital Management completed its acquisition of Cost Plus World Market from Bed Bath & Beyond.
- **2024-10** — World Market opened its first new stores in three years, including locations in Texas and California.
- **2025-10** — Company operated approximately 247 stores across the United States, continuing selective expansion (e.g., a new Paramus, NJ store at Bergen Town Center).

## Links

- Website: https://worldmarket.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cost-plus-world-market
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/worldmarket
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/WorldMarket
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldmarket/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/worldmarket
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@worldmarket

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/world-market
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-01