Storables is a
specialty retail chain that carries a variety of products aimed at helping consumers organize their homes and work spaces in the
West Coast of the United States
The West Coast of the United States, also known as the Pacific Coast, Pacific states, and the western seaboard, is the coastline along which the Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. The term typically refers to the contiguous U.S ...
. Its products are categorized into departments including Audio, Baskets, Bath, Closets, Furniture, Kids, Kitchen, Laundry, Novelty, Office, and Utility. The company's motto is "Make Room for Living."
Storables was founded in 1981 by owner Dodd Fischer, who had an interest in the housewares/lifestyle store concept. At the time, the storage goods business was beginning to emerge as a specialty niche in the housewares business, with plastic storage containers and organizers beginning to appear in department stores.
The first Storables shop was located in
Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton is a city in Washington County, in the U.S. state of Oregon with a small portion bordering Portland in the Tualatin Valley. The city is among the main cities that make up the Portland metropolitan area. Its population was 97,494 at the ...
, outside of
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
, and by 1985 the company had rapidly grown to five locations in
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
,
Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
, and
Washington state
Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...
. The stores were comparatively small at that time, averaging about 1,000 square feet.
By 1992, the product range had grown to feature additional options, materials, and colors, which required a larger store format.
In 2005, Storables expanded into both
Scottsdale, Arizona
, settlement_type = City
, named_for = Winfield Scott
, image_skyline =
, image_seal = Seal of Scottsdale (Arizona).svg
, image_blank_emblem = City of Scottsdale Script Logo.svg
, nick ...
, and
Edina, Minnesota
Edina ( ) is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States and a first-ring suburb of Minneapolis. The population was 53,494 at the 2020 census, making it the 18th most populous city in Minnesota.
Edina began as a small farming and mil ...
, after a competitor,
Organized Living
Organized Living, formerly known as Schulte Corp., is a company that manufactures storage and organization products for the home, sold through independent dealers in the United States and Canada. Prior to 2007, Organized Living was a specialty ...
, went bankrupt, making the two locations available.
The economic downturn eventually led to the closing of both stores, with the Arizona outlet closing in 2009 and Minnesota in 2011.
[{{cite news , url=http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2010/08/02/daily15.html , title= Whole Foods to Open Edina Store , work=Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal , date=August 6, 2010 , accessdate=Nov 28, 2012] It also closed its California locations in 2014.
After nearly 38 years in operation, it began closing its retail stores as leases expired between January and April 2019.
See also
*
Hold Everything (store)
Hold Everything was a specialty retail chain in the United States that sold home organization and storage solutions. Its parent company, Williams-Sonoma, Inc., closed the chain's 11 existing stores in 2006.
The "Hold Everything" brand began as ...
, chain that closed in 2006
*
Organized Living
Organized Living, formerly known as Schulte Corp., is a company that manufactures storage and organization products for the home, sold through independent dealers in the United States and Canada. Prior to 2007, Organized Living was a specialty ...
, chain that closed in 2005
*
The Container Store
The Container Store Group, Inc. is an American specialty retail chain company that operates The Container Store, which offers storage and organization products, and custom closets.
The company has made ''Fortunes list of " 100 Best Companie ...
References
External links
Storables.com
American companies established in 1981
Retail companies established in 1981
Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009
Privately held companies based in Oregon
1981 establishments in Oregon
Retail companies of the United States