About Us

It all began in the early 1980's while vacationing in the South of France. Every summer since they met, Roland and Barbara Wentzel went hunting for that unique something found only in the Paris flea market or perhaps the French contryside where they hoped to find that wonderfully special treasure that would always remind them of their travels.

Traditions, founded in 1985, came out of these summer trips to France. They were so successful at finding just the right thing for themselves that their friends all said "find something for me too." This was the birth of their first container home.

Menlo Park opened its doors in September of 1985 with that first collection and has never looked back since. The entire shipment of treasures had sold within the first weekend of their opening. They were on to something!

The Wentzel's second store, located in Walnut Creek, opened it's doors April 1993 when Walnut Creek was just a sleepy little shopping district, not the regional shopping area it is today. In early 2006, the Walnut Creek store building was sold, and in June of 2006, the store was relocated to join our Berkeley store, located on Fourth Street. The Berkeley store, which opened in 1999, was remodeled in August 2006, and is the largest store.

Traditions, family owned and operated, continues to be the Bay Area's premier fine furnishings store delivering an ever-changing panorama of European art and antiques, custom upholstery, eclectic accessories and interior design services that will warm the heart and delight the eye.