Williams-Sonoma acquires intellectual property of Dormify
Williams-Sonoma Inc. continues expanding its presence in the collegiate retailing space.
The home goods retailer has purchased the intellectual property of Dormify, an online retailer and content platform for college students and young adults living or moving into dormitories, for an undisclosed sum. Williams-Sonoma plans to relaunch Dormify in 2026.
Williams-Sonoma said the acquisition reinforces its ongoing commitment to long-term growth and showcases its ability to pursue “targeted opportunities that capture market share and unlock white space across key demographic and lifestyle segments.”
“The acquisition of Dormify’s intellectual property aligns with our strategy to build and acquire brands that meet customers at every stage of life across various aesthetics," said Laura Alber, president and CEO of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. "We look forward to integrating our operational excellence, in-house design capabilities, digital expertise, and world-class customer service into Dormify to accelerate the brand’s growth and scale its reach."
Dormify is currently under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A message on the Dormify website states it is “now part of the Williams-Sonoma Inc. family of brands” and is working on a new assortment and site experience. Visitors are directed to Williams-Sonoma's Pottery Barn Teen online dorm shop to purchase Dormify’s latest products.
The Williams-Sonoma Pottery Barn Teen subsidiary recently debuted Dorm Concierge, a new complimentary, personalized service designed to assist customers shopping for dorm products to make purchases and then pick them up at a store location near their college campus.
[READ MORE: Pottery Barn Teen launches personalized service for dorm shoppers]
In addition, select Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids retail stores will feature a curated “Dorm Shop” starting in summer 2025.
A number of retailers have partnered with Dormify over the years, including American Eagle (which led a $3.45 million investment round in Dormify in 2018), The Container Store and Office Depot. It is not clear whether this acquisition will affect those business relationships.
Headquartered in San Francisco, Williams-Sonoma Inc. operates the Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, West Elm, Williams Sonoma Home, Rejuvenation, Mark and Graham, and GreenRow banners via e-commerce, direct-mail catalogs and retail stores. These brands collectively support The Key Rewards loyalty and credit card program that offers members exclusive benefits. Williams Sonoma operate in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia and the U.K. and has unaffiliated franchisees that operate stores in the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico, South Korea and India.
