SMARTBOX Launches in Chicago
Portable Storage, Moving Firm Kicks Off by Collecting Food for Hungry

RICHMOND, Va., May 17, 2007 – SMARTBOX, a leader in the portable self storage and moving industry, today announces it will launch in Chicago on March 24 – the ninth new franchise in the past year.

The Chicago franchise, led by co-owners Greg Kaufman and Lee Bolnick, will be headquartered at 5438 W. Roosevelt Road. It joins Atlanta, Baltimore, Denver, Jacksonville, Fla., Minneapolis, New Orleans, Raleigh, N.C., and San Antonio as franchises that recently have launched.

“We’re bringing a whole new service to Chicago,” said Kaufman, president of SMARTBOX Chicago. “The beauty of SMARTBOX is that it simplifies the moving and storage process. Homeowners and businesses alike can take advantage of a better-sized portable storage unit, which allows them to better match their storage requirements with the storage that they pay for.”

To kick off its Chicago franchise, SMARTBOX Chicago hosted a “fill the box” launch party on May 24. The event was open to the public, and the new venture gave away an Apple iPod® and free storage to anyone who brought a non-perishable food item to donate to the Chicago Greater Food Depository.

SMARTBOX, founded in 2004 and recently named to the “Franchise 50” by the Franchise Business Review, enables residential and commercial users to pack and load their belongings at their convenience in containers that are 8 feet long, 7 feet tall and 5 feet wide and can hold the contents of up to 1½ rooms (3,000 pound capacity).

When they’ve finished packing their Smartboxes, users can call SMARTBOX to pick them up and deliver them for storage in one of its secure warehouses or for moving to another location through its SMARTCARE service. Some users store their Smartboxes at their homes or offices.

“SMARTBOX eliminates the hassle of locating a rental truck, packing and loading it, delivering it to a storage facility, unloading it, racing to return it on time and paying for gas and insurance,” Kaufman said.

About SMARTBOX
SMARTBOX is a leader in the portable self-storage industry, offering individuals and businesses affordable and convenient storage and local and long-distance moving solutions. Based in Richmond, Va., SMARTBOX has franchises in Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Denver, San Antonio, Baltimore, Atlanta, New Orleans, Charlotte, N.C., Raleigh, N.C., Jacksonville, Fla., Richmond, Va., Williamsburg/Newport News, Va., Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Va., and Fredericksburg, Va. For more information, visit www.smartboxusa.com.