The Container Store Celebrates its Annual "National We Love Our Employees Day" with Biggest Love Note Ever

    COPPELL, TX, February 14, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Container Store, the nation's originator and leading retailer of storage and organization products, today honors its 5,000 employees across the country by celebrating its third annual "National We Love Our Employees Day." Company executives unveiled a 58,800 square foot "love note" on the roof of its company headquarters that it is submitting for review to the Guinness Book of World Records.

In a video message sent to all employees today, Kip Tindell (Chairman and CEO), Sharon Tindell (Chief Merchandising Officer), Melissa Reiff (President) and Garrett Boone (Chairman Emeritus) humorously put the final touches of paint on the rooftop "We Love Our Employees" message that's clearly visible to thousands of passengers aboard flights coming in and out of the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport airspace each day. The Container Store has also challenged airlines with flights in and out of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to tell passengers to look out their window to see the Biggest Love Note Ever from the company.

In the video, they proclaim, "This message really fits the bill of doing something big to let our employees know how much we appreciate all they've done to make this the best year in company history, to have opened four new stores, launched our The Gift Registry and to have helped nurture our special workplace culture that has landed us on FORTUNE magazine's list of '100 Best Companies to Work For' for the past 13 years!"

Today's company-wide celebration includes gifts for every employee from Manhattan to Los Angeles and even the company's Swedish colleagues at elfa - the company's manufacturer of its best-selling custom shelving and drawer systems. Treats include overflowing boxes of product donated by the retailer's vendors, "We Love Our Employees Day" t-shirts and sweet Valentine's Day munchies. Each of The Container Store's store locations is adorned with signage and balloons while love songs play to let customers know about the special day. Customers are encouraged to visit the company's blog at standfor.containerstore.com to leave a "love note" for employees for a chance to win one of 10 $100 Store More Cards.

The Container Store is also telling customers about the love for its employees with a full-page ad in The New York Times, an ad in The Dallas Morning News, a customer email, posts on its Facebook and Twitter pages, related stories on the company's blog, outdoor billboard messaging and a website homepage takeover.

"As an employer, we have a moral obligation to create a workplace where our employees look forward to coming to each and every day," said Kip Tindell. "We've spent the last 34 years building that workplace on love. In fact, an organization built on love is more sustainable and more fun. It results in a fierce loyalty by employees, a low turnover and ultimately, happy customers and shareholders."

In 2010, the company proclaimed February 14 as its National We Love Our Employees Day to not only celebrate its own employee-first culture, but to also encourage other companies to do so.

The Container Store attributes much of its success and 25% annual compounded growth rate since its 1978 inception to its values-based business philosophies called Foundation Principles. These Foundation Principles guide company business decisions keeping the company's interdependent circle of stakeholders top of mind - with employees always first.

In addition to unprecedented retail financial performance as a result of its employee-first culture, The Container Store also counts the following as accolades and differentiators:
- Recognition as an employer-of-choice on FORTUNE magazine's list of "100 Best Companies to Work For" for 13 consecutive years.
- High levels of customer service delivered with a solutions-based approach.
- Commitment to no layoffs.
- More than 263 hours of training for first-year, full-time employees (compared to industry average of seven to 10 hours).
- Continued expansion from coast to coast with six stores planned for 2012, including Arlington, TX, Las Vegas, El Segundo, Calif., Peabody, MA, Westbury, NY and a sixth location being finalized.
- A "Communication is Leadership" philosophy that results in every employee receiving and/or having access to every detail of company information, including financials, real estate expansion plans and more.

About The Container Store:
The Container Store currently has 53 locations across the country and offers 10,000 time- and space-saving organization solutions. The Container Store offers free closet design services every day in its stores and online using elfa , the premiere shelving and drawer system. Visit www.containerstore.com for more information about store locations, the product collection and services offered. Fiscal year sales are expected to reach an excess of $650 million. The Container Store is privately held.

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