After visiting this store and a couple other locations, I can officially say I'm a Sur La Table girl rather than Williams Sonoma. Sur La Table has a much better selection and better service. If anything, SLT people tend to be overly eager to help, but I'll take that over being ignored at Williams Sonoma.
During my last trip to SLT, I needed an apple corer so my husband could make some culinary abomination called a "potato bomb." The salesgirl showed me no less than 5 versions and helped me select the best one for our needs.
I also got a mini loaf pan (their brand) that is now my favorite piece of bakeware. The pan is nice and heavy and coated in silicon so you don't have to use any butter or spray. The coating makes it very easy to wash too.
Another reason I prefer SLT is because they carry scharffen berger chocolate. It's the best stuff, and you can't tell me otherwise. I can't see myself buying other food items there however. Their cake decorations were ridiculously over priced, as in $15 for sprinkles.
What really draws me in at SLT is the clearance sections throughout the store. I picked up a 4qt Staub in a SLT-exclusive green color for $50 off. I'm a sucker for a good bargain, and that one made me giddy.