Container Store to Enter Florida Markets

By Georgiana Mihaila, Associate Editor

The Container Store has announced plans to enter the Tampa market in 2013. The retailer currently has two Florida stores, in Hallandale Beach and Miami, and plans on opening three more: in Tampa, Orlando and Boca Raton.

“The Container Store is extremely deliberate in selecting A-plus real estate sites across the country surrounded by a dense population of our time- and space-starved customers,” said Kip Tindell, chairman & CEO of The Container Store. “We’re thrilled to bring our unique concept to these three markets and are confident they will perform as top-level stores from the first day the doors open.”

The new stores, expected to create more than 180 jobs, will be consistent with The Container Store’s goal of offering a solutions-based approach to retail, with each full-time salesperson receiving more than 263 hours of training in their first year, compared to the retail industry average of seven to 10 hours. In addition, the retailer pays its employees 50 to 100 percent higher than the retail industry average. It’s this commitment to an employee-first culture that has landed The Container Store on FORTUNE Magazine’s annual list of “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the past 13 years, with the most recent ranking being announced in January.

For each new location, The Container Store will partner with a local nonprofit that will receive 10 percent of its grand opening weekend sales as part of the retailer’s commitment to give back to its local communities.

The Tampa store will occupy 25,000 square feet on the southwest corner of West Shore Boulevard and Spruce Street, one block south of International Plaza Mall. An opening date is still to be determined.

“We look forward to astonishing new and existing Florida customers alike with The Container Store’s unique shopping experience, product collection and renowned customer service delivered by our great employees,” continued Tindell. “Our goal is to have each customer do a little dance every time they open the doors of their organized closet, pantry or home office.”