It’s wild to think how an idea to make all things home accessible to everyone has grown over the last twenty years to become the leading home retailer that Wayfair is today. At the tail end of the dot-com boom, Wayfair, once named “CSN Stores,” was born with the goal of creating the largest collection of all things home - so that no matter where you lived, or your style or budget, you could shop a broad selection of products to find that perfect, just-right item to make your home just perfect for you.
The company started with niche category offerings sold across different sites and over time grew to encompass over 250 categories of any and everything you could possibly think of - from car seats and nautical mirrors to ice cream makers, and even bean bag chairs! So to celebrate 20 Years of Home, we’re throwing it back to twenty things we used to sell (and still do on Wayfair!) that made us who we are today.
RacksandStands.com
The idea that started it all. In 2002, entrepreneurs Niraj Shah and Steve Conine launched RacksandStands.com out of a spare bedroom in Steve’s Boston apartment. With flat screen TVs and CDs trending, RacksandStands.com offered any and everything that you could possibly want to display your at-home entertainment center and quickly became one of the largest online sellers in its category.
EveryCuckooClock.com
Believe it or not, cuckoo clocks were a niche but hot commodity. From modern birdhouses to traditional, German Black Forest cuckoo clocks, you could find every cuckoo clock you could possibly think of on EveryCuckooClock.com (and you still can at Wayfair!).
HolidayDecorationsDirect.com
We had all the classics - stockings, ornaments, holiday lights, and festive dinnerware. HolidayDecorationsDirect.com was your one-stop-shop for all things you could possibly want for your upcoming office holiday party and family dinners.
AirHockeyTables.com
Let’s be real, we all wish we had an air hockey table in our garage or basement. Introducing, AirHockeyTables.com, making it incredibly fast and easy to be the coolest kid on the block with your very own air hockey table.
BarbecueGrillsandMore.com
A one stop shop for all things barbeque; it sounds like a grill connoisseur’s dream. From charcoal grills, pellet grills, gas grills, smokers, and even grilling accessories, BarbequeGrillsandMore.com was the place to shop to gear up for the summer.
MoreGardenPlanters.com
We used to sell a variety of planter boxes and gardening supplies via MoreGardenPlanters.com (and still do at Wayfair!) for those with a green thumb looking to plant their own vegetable garden to fit their unique size, space, or style.
BestBookshelves.com
This was the place to shop for those looking to find the best bookshelf to create that just-right home library. Whether you were looking to house your own private collection of antique books or shopping for your kid’s first bookshelf, you could find almost every type of bookshelf at BestBookshelves.com.
EveryJuicer.com
Before juicing became a trend, you could actually buy a juicer from us on EveryJuicer.com to make your own fresh squeezed orange juice, wheatgrass shots, and cold pressed juices to enjoy on a hot summer day. Now is still a great time to shop our assortment of juicers at Wayfair!
DiaperBagBoutique.com
Speaking of bags, we sold diaper bags too? DiaperBagsBoutique.com offered a selection of diaper bags featuring various sizes, styles, and materials for on-the-go parents looking to shop for a new bag to take on the road.
TheFlatwareStore.com
If you didn’t inherit your great grandmother’s flatware set, where could you possibly go to browse for a new set of forks, knives, and spoons? A new flatware set makes the perfect wedding or housewarming gift and TheFlatWareStore.com was a site to browse all the classics along with styles you didn’t know existed.
LCDMountsOnline.com
Believe it or not, flat screen LCD TVs came out in 1997 and those that were lucky enough to get their hands on one were shopping for mounts to show off their new screens. Though you can easily purchase a TV mount almost anywhere today, we were one of the few places back then that sold a wide assortment (and still do!).
AllWoodBarStools.com
For those that were looking for every type of wood bar stool - backless, armless, adjustable, or stationary - AllWoodBarStools.com offered a selection for customers to browse and shop for that perfect wood bar stool (and just the right height) for your counter.
MorePatioUmbrellas.com
The more patio umbrellas the better! Why shop a small selection of umbrellas if you could browse a vast selection to bring your backyard oasis to life? You were on your way to becoming everyone’s favorite backyard party host if you shopped here!
SimplyDogBeds.com
If you were looking for a site to shop a selection of dog beds, SimplyDogBeds.com had everything you could possibly want to ensure your furry friend got a good night’s sleep.
WhiteBoardsandMore.com
Have you ever wondered where your high school was able to purchase enough white boards for every classroom? They probably bought them on WhiteBoardsandMore.com, along with chalkboards, bulletin boards, and everything else that you could write on that was mounted on the wall at school.
TheWokStore.com
We had a neat place to shop back then for chefs looking to purchase new cookware for their restaurants and home kitchens. TheWokStore.com sold woks made with various materials, handle lengths, and coatings, perfect for stir frying your own culinary creation.
WickerChairs.com
Back then (and today) we sold wicker chairs via WickerChairs.com. You could easily browse a vast selection of indoor and online wicker chairs for a great new patio conversation starter.
JustSouthwesternRugs.com
You’re in the market for not just any rug, but a Southwestern rug to bring that earthy, desert vibe to life. From Spanish textiles to bold prints, our shoppers were able to find all that and more through our curated selection on JustSouthwesternRugs.com.
FirePitsCentral.com
This was the place for all fire pits, big and small - perfect for those looking for ways to roast their own marshmallows without the hassle of camping. FirePitsCentral.com was the perfect solution for those looking to set up that cozy evening with friends in their own backyard.
BeanBagChairsOnline.com
Last, but not least, what fun online find could possibly beat a new bean bag chair?! We sold bean bag chairs in every size, shape, fabric, and color. Whether it’s for relaxing at home, family movie nights, or video games with friends, the comfort of a loungey bean bag chair could be at your home with the click of a button.
Join us in celebrating 20 Years of Home by learning more about the people, stories, and innovations that got us to where we are today!