Container Store fitting in at SouthPark

The Container Store at SouthPark mall is doing well, a company spokeswoman said Thursday, as the store tries to stay on top of trends and cycles through its year of sales.

Company spokeswoman Olescia Hanson was in town visiting the SouthPark location, which opened last August in the former Joseph Beth bookstore. The location is the Container Store's second in North Carolina (the first was in Raleigh). Hanson said the Container Store isn't planning any further Charlotte-area stores. Each one of the stores is a destination, she said, and the company is focused on expanding into new markets.

The Container Store is based in Coppell, Texas. The company operates 54 stores, and is growing steadily. It's expecting sales in fiscal 2012 to top $700 million. This year, the Container Store is opening five new locations, in Arlington, Texas, Las Vegas, El Segundo, California, Westbury, New York and Boston.

Part of the retailer's strategy is to always have a promotion going. The SouthPark store is currently in the midst of the "Go Organized!" travel sale, followed in late June by the "Happy Organized Home Sale." Then a back-to-school sale in August, a shelving sale after that and "Gift Wrap Wonderland" to finish off the year.

The Container Store's busiest period tends to be right after Christmas and New Years, as they put their proprietary Elfa organization brand on sale and capitalize on people's resolution to get organized.

Another part of The Container Store's strategy is to adjust its offerings to conform to outside trends. Hanson pointed to a number of changes the company has made in its travel products to entice customers harried by the TSA and no-frills airlines.

More organized suitcases and compression bags are in, as customers try to cram as much as they can into carry-ons to avoid checking bags. Lighter suitcases are also in, for the same reason - less suitcase weight equals more weight you can devote to cramming that bag. Travel-sized, leak-proof Nalgene bottles for carrying TSA-approved amounts of liquids are also popular. People are taking more short, weekend trips, so The Container Store has upped its collection of weekender bags.

Another item that's been popular are travel blankets and pillows. "Airlines have cut back on little luxuries we used to get, like pillows and blankets," said Hanson. "People are bringing their own, especially on long trips."



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