Stephen Gordon founded Restoration Hardware in Eureka, California in 1979 while restoring a Victorian home and finding affordable, high-quality hardware and fixtures unavailable. Mr. Gordon honed his merchandising skills for ten years expanding slowly in Northern California and Boston before raising outside capital from Cardinal Investments allowing accelerated expansion. The company had 47 stores when it went public in 1998, ending the year at over 65 stores and commencing a rapid expansion to over 100 stores in 31 states reaching $369.5 million in net sales by 2001.