User:Jenfish-bluefish/sandbox

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Storables was founded over 30 years ago by owner Dodd Fischer who had an interest in the housewares/lifestyle store concept. At this time, the storage goods business was beginning to emerge as a specialty niche in the housewares business. Plastic storage containers and organizers began appearing in department stores demanding the presence of an organizational specialty store in the market. Thus, in 1981, Storables was born.

The first Storables was located in Beaverton Town Square outside of Portland, Oregon. It opened in 1981, and by 1985 the company had rapidly grown to 5 locations in Oregon, Washington, and California. The stores were comparatively small at that time, averaging about 1,000 square feet.

By 1992, the product selection had grown quite a bit, requiring the company to expand to a larger store format. Dodd and his management team set their sights on opening larger square-foot spaces.

This larger format allowed Storables to provide its loyal customers with an expanded selection of goods, featuring additional options, materials, and colors. Throughout this transition, Storables was adamant on maintaining the one-on-one customer service they had become known for.

In 2005, Storables expanded into both Scottsdale, Arizona and Edina, Minnesota after a competitor, Organized Living, went bankrupt. The two locations subsequently became available and Storables seized the opportunity to occupy the vacancies. While both locations had a good run at being profitable, the down turn of the economy eventually led to the closing of both stores. The Arizona location closed in 2009 and the Minnesota location in 2011.

Currently, Storables operates 5 locations, including 2 in the Seattle, Washington market, 2 in the Portland, Oregon market and 1 in San Jose, California. Storables also has a significant presence online, offering its products through its web store. It has also ventured into various Business-to-business relationships.

As of October 2009, it had seven locations in four states. The chain was founded in 1981 in Portland, Oregon by Dodd Fischer. Five small locations were in existence by 1985 in Oregon, Washington, and California. The company began moving to a larger store format in 1992. By May 2003, the company had six locations, with three stores in the Seattle area, two in Portland, and one in San Jose, California.

In June 2005, the chain expanded into Arizona by taking over the Scottsdale location of Organized Living after that competitor filed for bankruptcy. The chain also subsequently expanded into Minnesota with the opening of a store in Edina, in another former Organized Living location.

The chain opened a second Arizona location in Mesa in November 2008, but it remained open only through February 2009, partly due to a dispute with the landlord. The other Arizona location also closed.

With the recession causing a large drop in sales starting in the fall of 2008, in April 2009 the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in order to get out of its Mesa lease, and to restructure.

Storables' competition includes the larger chain The Container Store.

Storables emerged from bankruptcy January 1st, 2010 and paid all creditors in full with interest. The company expects to be profitable in 2010.

Storables was founded over 30 years ago by owner Dodd Fischer who had an interest in the housewares/lifestyle store concept. At this time, the storage goods business was beginning to emerge as a specialty niche in the housewares business. Plastic storage containers and organizers began appearing in department stores demanding the presence of an organizational specialty store in the market. Thus, in 1981, Storables was born.

The first Storables was located in Beaverton Town Square outside of Portland, Oregon. It opened in 1981, and by 1985 the company had rapidly grown to 5 locations in Oregon, Washington, and California[. The stores were comparatively small at that time, averaging about 1,000 square feet.

By 1992, the product selection had grown quite a bit, requiring the company to expand to a larger store format. Dodd and his management team set their sights on opening larger square-foot spaces.

This larger format allowed Storables to provide its loyal customers with an expanded selection of goods, featuring additional options, materials, and colors. Throughout this transition, Storables was adamant on maintaining the one-on-one customer service they had become known for.

In 2005, Storables expanded into both Scottsdale, Arizona and Edina, Minnesota after a competitor, Organized Living, went bankrupt. The two locations subsequently became available and Storables seized the opportunity to occupy the vacancies. While both locations had a good run at being profitable, the down turn of the economy eventually led to the closing of both stores. The Arizona location closed in 2009 and the Minnesota location in 2011.

Currently, Storables operates 5 locations, including 2 in the Seattle, Washington market, 2 in the Portland, Oregon market and 1 in San Jose, California. Storables also has a significant presence online, offering its products through its web store. It has also ventured into various Business-to-Business relationships.