Sur La Table

Ownership

A joint venture by Marquee Brands and CSC Generation bought Sur La Table out of bankruptcy for nearly $90 million in 2020. Marquee Brands is a portfolio company managing multiple national brands, making this a corporate chain with no Madison resident or local ownership.

Local Sourcing

The company offers a selection of global brands in Sur La Table stores with no evidence of local or Wisconsin sourcing initiatives. The store appears to function as a standard corporate retail outlet using national/global supply chains.

Community Involvement

The store offers cooking classes and is described as a community hub, but search results reveal no specific sponsorships of Madison nonprofits, schools, or local organizations. Community engagement appears limited to in-store activities rather than broader civic investment.

Local Workforce

Employee reviews indicate very low pay (around $12/hr for some positions) and difficulty hiring culinary instructors due to low compensation. Glassdoor reviews rate compensation as 2.1 out of 5, and the overall employee rating is 2.9 out of 5 stars, indicating poor labor practices and employee dissatisfaction.

Revenue Retention

Sur La Table is owned by Marquee Brands and CSC Generation, a national retailer, ensuring most revenue flows to corporate headquarters in Seattle/New York rather than remaining in Madison. The store functions as a franchised outlet with standard corporate financial structures.

Local Presence

Website uses heavy corporate boilerplate language ('immersive culinary experience,' 'tantalizing menu,' 'flavorful twist'), generic service descriptions, and a location selector/store locator model typical of chain operations. No owner/staff names, local supplier references, or personality-driven copy; instead relies on templated marketing copy repeated across locations.