SMARTBOX, a provider of portable storage for commercial and residential use, launched its ninth new franchise of 2007 last week in Chicago. It will be led by co-owners Greg Kaufman and Lee Bolnick.

To celebrate the grand opening, 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. Based in Richmond, Va., the company has franchises in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina and Virginia. For more information, visit www.smartboxusa.com.