World Market
An American specialty retailer known for eclectic, globally inspired furniture, home décor, food, beverages, gifts, and lifestyle merchandise.
Last updated October 30, 2026
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Overview
World Market, formerly known as Cost Plus World Market, is a United States specialty-retail chain focused on distinctive home furnishings, décor, entertaining products, international food, beverages, gifts, and selected apparel and lifestyle goods. Its merchandising concept combines imported and globally influenced products with the atmosphere of a bazaar, offering customers a broad assortment rather than a narrowly defined furniture or home-improvement range. The business has historically differentiated itself through unusual designs, international flavor, seasonal merchandise, and products that are difficult to find in conventional department stores. The company began in San Francisco in 1958, when William Amthor and Lincoln Bartlett opened a store called Cost Plus Imports at Fisherman’s Wharf. The founders had connections to an import business that had acquired surplus wicker furniture but could not sell the inventory through wholesale channels. They therefore rented warehouse space and offered the furniture directly to consumers. The initial store concentrated on wicker and rattan products, and its name reflected an early pricing formula based on selling merchandise at cost plus ten percent. Although that precise pricing concept was later abandoned, the Cost Plus name remained associated with the business for decades. The original store’s imported furniture assortment proved commercially successful. In the early 1960s, the company worked with Tandy Corporation, then the owner of Radio Shack, to develop franchised locations. Fifteen franchise stores opened in California and Texas between 1962 and 1965. The arrangement ended after the franchise operator concluded that Cost Plus’s large-store merchandising model did not translate effectively to smaller locations. Tandy subsequently developed its own importing and retail operation under the Pier 1 Imports name, creating a competitor that would coexist with Cost Plus for many years. After the franchise separation, Cost Plus rebuilt its store network through company-owned locations, beginning with a new San Mateo store and followed by a location in Mountain View. The chain later expanded well beyond the San Francisco Bay Area, ultimately reaching hundreds of stores across much of the United States. During its growth, stores were branded either Cost Plus World Market or simply World Market, with the shorter name used particularly in newer eastern and southern markets. The company experienced financial pressure during the 1980s. A leveraged buyout completed in 1987 was followed by a substantial reorganization of stores and merchandise during the early 1990s. The restructuring restored momentum and supported renewed expansion. Cost Plus World Market became a publicly traded company in 1996, listing on Nasdaq at that time. It later faced weakening performance, and by 2008 the business was operating at a loss. A proposed acquisition by former affiliate and competitor Pier 1 Imports was rejected. Bed Bath & Beyond acquired Cost Plus World Market in 2012. Under that ownership, the brand continued to operate as a specialty retail banner while also experimenting with digital merchandising. In 2014 it introduced Craft by World Market, an online marketplace using customer preorders to test demand for selected products. Bed Bath & Beyond announced store closures in 2019, including a number of World Market locations and the original Fisherman’s Wharf store. That flagship location ultimately closed in 2020. Bed Bath & Beyond sold the business to Kingswood Capital Management in February 2021. World Market continues to operate in the United States through stores and its e-commerce channel. The company experienced financial pressure in the 1980s. A leveraged buyout completed in 1987 was followed by a major store and merchandise reorganization in the early 1990s. The reorganization restored momentum and supported new expansion. Cost Plus World Market became a public company in 1996, listing on Nasdaq. It later faced declining performance, and by 2008 the business was operating at a loss. A takeover offer from former affiliate and competitor Pier 1 Imports was rejected.
History
World Market traces its origins to an import-furniture opportunity in San Francisco. William Amthor and Lincoln Bartlett opened the first Cost Plus Imports store on October 23, 1958, at 2552 Taylor Street near Fisherman’s Wharf. Amthor had worked in his family’s importing business, which had obtained a large quantity of wicker furniture that could not be sold profitably through wholesale distribution. The founders leased approximately 4,000 square feet of warehouse space and converted the surplus into a retail assortment. The first store focused primarily on wicker and rattan furniture, displayed in an informal, bazaar-like environment. The Cost Plus name referred to the company’s original plan to price imported merchandise at its cost plus ten percent. The pricing formula was eventually discontinued, but the name became central to the retailer’s identity. The initial store’s success encouraged the company to consider expansion. In 1962, with assistance from Tandy Corporation, Cost Plus Imports incorporated and opened a franchise location in San Mateo. Between 1962 and 1965, fifteen franchised stores were established in California and Texas. Tandy concluded that the original large-store concept was not suitable for the smaller franchise format. After giving notice in 1965, Tandy developed its own importing business, and the former franchise operation was rebranded as Pier 1 Imports in 1966. Cost Plus and Pier 1 consequently became long-term competitors in imported furniture and home merchandise. Cost Plus retained its original San Francisco store and resumed expansion through company-owned branches. A new San Mateo store opened in the Hillsdale Shopping Center, followed in 1968 by a Mountain View location in Mayfield Mall. The company gradually broadened its assortment beyond wicker furniture to include imported furnishings, décor, textiles, gifts, kitchen goods, food, beverages, and other lifestyle merchandise. Its store environment emphasized discovery and variety, helping the retailer occupy a position between a furniture chain, a gift store, and an international specialty market. The chain expanded nationally over subsequent decades and eventually operated 258 stores in 39 states and Washington, D.C. The Fisherman’s Wharf store grew to roughly 40,000 square feet at its peak and served as a flagship for many years. During the 1970s, the location also appeared as a setting in the action film Magnum Force. In 1987, Bechtel Investments, associated with Fremont Group, completed a leveraged buyout. The company encountered declining profits during the 1980s, but a reorganization of its stores and merchandise in the early 1990s improved performance and supported a new expansion cycle. By the end of the decade, the chain had surpassed one hundred stores. Branding evolved during this expansion. Existing stores used Cost Plus World Market, while newer locations—especially in eastern and southern parts of the country—often used the shorter World Market name. The company went public in 1996 and traded on Nasdaq. Performance later weakened. In 2008, Cost Plus World Market was operating at a loss and rejected an approximately $88.4 million takeover proposal from Pier 1 Imports, its former corporate relative and long-standing competitor. Bed Bath & Beyond acquired the retailer in 2012 for approximately $495 million. The brand remained a distinct banner and developed additional digital initiatives. In 2014, it launched Craft by World Market, a preorder-based online marketplace designed to test customer interest before committing products to sale. In October 2019, Bed Bath & Beyond announced planned closures affecting forty Bed Bath & Beyond stores and twenty stores across World Market and other subsidiaries. The original Fisherman’s Wharf store was among the locations identified for closure and shut permanently in 2020. In February 2021, Bed Bath & Beyond sold Cost Plus World Market to Kingswood Capital Management. The business now operates as a privately owned United States retailer under the World Market name.
- 2021
Sold to Kingswood Capital Management
[1]Bed Bath & Beyond divested Cost Plus World Market to Kingswood Capital Management.
- 2020
Fisherman’s Wharf flagship closes
[1]The original San Francisco location closed permanently after being included in a broader store-closure plan.
- 2014
Craft by World Market launches
[1]The retailer introduced a preorder-driven online marketplace for testing and selling selected products.
- 2012
Acquired by Bed Bath & Beyond
[1]Bed Bath & Beyond purchased Cost Plus World Market for approximately $495 million.
- 1996
Company becomes publicly traded
[1]Cost Plus World Market began trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
- 1987
Leveraged buyout completed
[1]Bechtel Investments, associated with Fremont Group, completed a leveraged buyout of the company.
- 1968
Mountain View store opens
[1]Cost Plus opened a third company-owned location at Mayfield Mall in Mountain View, California.
- 1966
Former franchise operation becomes Pier 1 Imports
[1]Tandy’s former Cost Plus franchise operation began importing independently and adopted the Pier 1 Imports name.
- 1962
Franchise expansion begins
[1]With assistance from Tandy Corporation, Cost Plus Imports incorporated and opened its first franchise location in San Mateo.
- 1958
First Cost Plus Imports store opens in San Francisco
[1]William Amthor and Lincoln Bartlett opened the first store at Fisherman’s Wharf, initially specializing in imported wicker and rattan furniture.
Products and positioning
Mid-range, eclectic, globally inspired home furnishings and lifestyle retail, with a bazaar-like assortment spanning décor, furniture, food, beverages, gifts, and seasonal goods.
Home furnishings · 1958
Furniture
Furniture is the category from which the retailer developed. World Market has historically offered imported and globally influenced tables, chairs, seating, cabinets, shelving, beds, and occasional furniture, with an emphasis on distinctive materials, finishes, and silhouettes rather than uniform mass-market collections.
Home décor
Home décor and textiles
The décor assortment includes decorative objects, mirrors, wall art, candles, baskets, curtains, rugs, pillows, throws, and other textiles. These products support the brand’s eclectic, layered interior style and allow customers to combine different cultural, historical, and seasonal influences.
Housewares
Kitchen and entertaining
World Market sells kitchenware, tabletop products, serving pieces, bar accessories, cookware, and entertaining goods. The assortment extends the brand beyond furniture and gives it a role in dining, hosting, and everyday home use.
Food and beverage retail
International food and beverages
Imported and internationally inspired food is a distinctive part of the World Market proposition. The range has included coffee, tea, packaged foods, confectionery, wine, and craft beer, reinforcing the retailer’s connection to travel, discovery, and global consumer culture.
Gifts and seasonal goods
Gifts and lifestyle merchandise
The retailer also carries gifts, apparel, accessories, seasonal products, and other lifestyle merchandise. These items broaden the customer occasion from furnishing a home to browsing for holidays, entertaining, personal purchases, and distinctive presents.
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Craft by World Market
United States
World Market created an online crowdsourcing and preorder marketplace where products were presented for a limited period and were produced or offered when customer commitments indicated sufficient demand.
Outcome. The initiative expanded the brand’s digital merchandising model and provided a demand-testing mechanism for selected products.
Brand decisions
2021
Sale to Kingswood Capital ManagementM&ABackground
Bed Bath & Beyond was restructuring its retail portfolio and divesting selected banners.
Action taken
Bed Bath & Beyond sold Cost Plus World Market to Kingswood Capital Management.
Aftermath
World Market became privately owned and continued as a standalone specialty retail business.
2019
Store-closure programStrategyBackground
Bed Bath & Beyond announced a broader program to close stores across its portfolio.
Action taken
The company announced planned closures affecting twenty World Market and other subsidiary locations, including the original Fisherman’s Wharf store.
Aftermath
The Fisherman’s Wharf location closed permanently in 2020, ending the operating history of the brand’s original store.
2012
Sale to Bed Bath & BeyondM&ABackground
Cost Plus World Market was operating as a national specialty retailer with a broad home and lifestyle assortment.
Action taken
Bed Bath & Beyond acquired the company for approximately $495 million.
Aftermath
World Market became a distinct Bed Bath & Beyond retail banner until its subsequent sale in 2021.
Acquisition price. (2012)
2008
Rejects Pier 1 Imports takeover proposalM&ABackground
Cost Plus World Market was operating at a loss while facing a difficult retail environment.
Action taken
The company rejected an approximately $88.4 million takeover bid from Pier 1 Imports.
Aftermath
The business remained independent until its acquisition by Bed Bath & Beyond in 2012.
Takeover offer value. (2008)
- Pier 1 Imports — Pier 1 Imports made the takeover proposal.
1990
Store and merchandise reorganizationStrategyBackground
The business experienced declining profits during the 1980s and required a change in its store and merchandise model.
Action taken
Management reorganized the store base and product line during the early 1990s.
Aftermath
The reorganization improved the company’s fortunes and was followed by renewed expansion.
1966
End of the Tandy franchise arrangementStrategyBackground
Tandy determined that the Cost Plus operating model, which depended heavily on the scale and sales volume of the San Francisco store, did not fit the smaller franchise format.
Action taken
After the franchise relationship ended, Tandy’s former locations began importing independently and were rebranded as Pier 1 Imports.
Aftermath
The separation created Pier 1 Imports as a long-term competitor while Cost Plus rebuilt its own network through company-owned stores.
- Pier 1 Imports — Tandy developed the former franchise operation into Pier 1 Imports, which later competed with Cost Plus in imported furniture and home goods.
Recent events
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