2011 FORTUNE Celebration

Welcome

Hello! Since our doors opened in 1978, we’ve been a company full of heart and soul with what I like to call our “yummy” culture. We put our employees first and strive for excellence in everything we do. We want to be special, different, and to offer a retail experience unlike any other. Our blog is a place to celebrate our employees, our culture, our customers, our vendors and our commitment to our communities. So thank you for visiting, for sharing your thoughts and for being an even bigger part of what we stand for – organization with heart!

— Kip Tindell, Chairman and CEO

On July 1, 1978, The Container Store opened its doors in a 1,600 square foot retail space in Dallas. The first store was filled with products that consumers couldn't find in any other retail environment. They were things like commercial parts bins, mailboxes, popcorn tins, burger baskets, milk crates and wire leaf burners. The product collection was quite unusual, but when used in a home or office, the solutions saved customers space and, ultimately, time.

At The Container Store, we firmly believe our employee is our #1 stakeholder. In doing so, employees take better care of customers and ultimately the shareholders benefit. It's a departure from what most other companies practice, yet it's been at the heart of our success since 1978. It's because of this employee-first culture that FORTUNE magazine has recognized us on its annual list of "100 Best Companies to Work For" for the past 12 years.

Not only was The Container Store built on great products, but it was structured around some fundamental values and philosophies about treating employees, customers and vendors with respect and dignity - we call them our Foundation Principles™. By understanding these principles, we can all act as a unit, working toward the same goal. Retail is far, far too situational to attempt to achieve a concerted effort through inflexible rules and policies.

Since we opened our first store in 1978, we have proudly supported our stores' local communities. From product donations to employee volunteer time, we know the importance of being a good corporate neighbor. Today, The Container Store continues to give back to the community with a focus on supporting nonprofits that promote women's and children's well-being and health.

These partnerships are key to our commitment to providing our customers the most innovative, high quality, differentiated products in the industry coupled with the utmost in customer service. And they have been especially important as we navigate this challenging economic time.

We believe that there is no conflict between economic prosperity and environmental stewardship and, in fact, that the two are mutually dependent upon each other. Like many other companies, we embrace sustainability as a key to our economic future and feel businesses that do this will have a better relationship with all of their stakeholders and ultimately, be able to offer the best quality products at the lowest possible prices.