Some stores are more launch-friendly than others—maybe the product's already trendy or sexy, or the store's interior is eye candy itself. Aside from the myriad of, well, containers that fill the aisles, the Container Store is a pretty no-fuss space, so the company's vice president of marketing Casey Priest, marketing manager Elaine Luce and PR manager Audrey Robertson brought in David Beahm and Abigail Kirsch Culinary Productions to add some color and girly touches to the event. The launch event doubled as a benefit for Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (Diffa), which brought in a mix of design industry guests. In exchange, 10 percent of opening weekend sales went to Diffa.
"We always partner with a nonprofit organization whose supporter base matches our target customer [for store openings]. The nonprofit serves as our ambassador for the opening party," said Priest, who described the Container Store's target customer as young twentysomething and thirtysomething women. "The party itself is a thank-you [to Diffa] for getting the word out that the Container Store is opening."
Bright flowers and food punched up the otherwise drab aisles: Beahm put red and orange gerbera daisies planted in tufts of grass inside transparent garment bags. Pink and peach-colored amaryllis blooms attached to twisting branches snaked along the ceiling, and bunches of red carnations filled small red trash cans. Abigail Kirsch had guests eating out of the containers: Sushi filled decorative bamboo boxes, and hat boxes contained cookies and other sweets. "We wanted a look that would highlight our products and be a reflection of our brand: a casual sophistication. David was able to bring that alive up and down the aisles of the party," Priest said.
––Suzanne Ito
"We always partner with a nonprofit organization whose supporter base matches our target customer [for store openings]. The nonprofit serves as our ambassador for the opening party," said Priest, who described the Container Store's target customer as young twentysomething and thirtysomething women. "The party itself is a thank-you [to Diffa] for getting the word out that the Container Store is opening."
Bright flowers and food punched up the otherwise drab aisles: Beahm put red and orange gerbera daisies planted in tufts of grass inside transparent garment bags. Pink and peach-colored amaryllis blooms attached to twisting branches snaked along the ceiling, and bunches of red carnations filled small red trash cans. Abigail Kirsch had guests eating out of the containers: Sushi filled decorative bamboo boxes, and hat boxes contained cookies and other sweets. "We wanted a look that would highlight our products and be a reflection of our brand: a casual sophistication. David was able to bring that alive up and down the aisles of the party," Priest said.
––Suzanne Ito
At the Container Store's opening event, David Beahm placed gerbera daisies in hat boxes and garment bags and Abigail Kirsch Culinary Productions filled round and square containers with sweets. (Photo by Patrick McMullan)
Food and flowers decorated the kitchenware aisle.
Abigail Kirsch filled decorative bamboo boxes with sushi, chopsticks and dipping sauces.
David Beahm suspended pink and peach-colored amaryllis from twisting branches suspended from the ceiling light fixtures.
