About The Container Store: In 1978, Kip Tindell (Chairman and CEO), Garrett Boone (Chairman Emeritus), and Architect John Mullen opened a retail store offering an exceptional and eclectic mix of products devoted to helping people simplify their lives. In doing so, they originated a completely new category of retailing, that of storage and organization. Initial cash capital was provided by Garrett, his father, and John Mullen, who were founding directors, officers and shareholders of the company. With a clear vision of the retail store they wanted to create and a first year start-up investment of only $35,000, the first challenge was to find products to sell. In 1978, most of the products The Container Store sold came from commercial or industrial manufacturers, and had never been sold in a retail environment. (source: ContainerStore.com)