National Inventors' Day - How We Got to Where We Stand
National Inventors' Day
National Inventors' Day is celebrated annually on February 11th, the date the great inventor Thomas Edison was born. Signed into a declaration in 1983 by President Ronald Reagan, the day is intended to salute our past and present great inventors.
Why do we think inventors deserve our recognition? They live to solve problems! They’re always looking for solutions that make our lives easier, more convenient, and ideally healthier and happier.
On this National Inventors' Day, we want to celebrate one of our favorite inventions, the standing desk. We also want to recognize some of the “inventors” at our company who’ve worked to make our standing desks better and more beneficial to our customers.
History of Standing Desks
Before the last decade or so, when was the last time you could recall hearing or seeing about standing desks? Most likely on the rare occasion, and purchasing one was probably not very high on your list. However, the reality is that Standing Desks have been around for longer than many of us imagined, dating back at least to the 1700s.
But in the last few years, standing desks have become immensely popular and have moved high up on many “must-have” lists because of the wide array of research-backed standing desk health benefits.
So, while stand-up desks and standing desk converters may seem new, standing desk benefits have been known for centuries. But why did standing desks suddenly get popular?
Our current knowledge-based economy has resulted in millions of desk-bound workers who suffer from what some medical professionals have dubbed “sitting disease.” And ever since the Mayo Clinic’s James A. Levine, MD, Ph.D. declared that “sitting kills more people than smoking,” health experts have looked for creative ways to get people out of their chairs. This led to rediscovery in standing desks and an industry-wide push to improve and optimize them for a modern workspace.
We’re proud to say we’ve been at the forefront of that push, so let’s take a look at where Stand Up Desk Store started.
History of Stand Up Desk Store
July 2013 - Here at Stand Up Desk Store, our “inventors” worked at our parent company, Luxor, a business that focuses mainly on utility carts, A/V carts, charging carts, and general office furniture solutions. One day, a product manager set his mind on creating a standing desk that would help create a healthier work environment not only for Luxor customers but also for our employees. This idea inspired him to begin working with his product development team. From there, the original “SUDS” standing desk product line was created and included about a dozen basic models available on Amazon.
The first products included our Manual Height Adjustable Split Desks and Crank Adjustable Standing Desks, products which have evolved immensely since their initial launch and are customer favorites to this day!
July 2014 - The Stand Up Desk Store official website was launched with a few more manual and crank desk offerings, and by November 2014, our combined website and Amazon sales for our standing desks skyrocketed.
July 2015 - We introduced our very popular Electric Standing Desk category while adding to our crank and manual standing desk options. These moves helped establish ourselves as a leader in a market quickly filling with competitors.
February 2016 - We began selling internationally! The team began to build out the website, improve photography, develop our brand image, and add a line of accessories to complement our desks.
February 2017 - We launched our customer favorite (and perennial top-selling) line of standing desk converters! This sparked a new excitement for standing since consumers could continue to use the desk they already owned. By making it easier (and cheaper) to stand while you work, we introduced standing desks to a whole new audience.
July 2018 - Recognizing a need for quiet, distraction-free spaces in an open office environment, we launched our ReFocus® Acoustic Desk Dividers and Room Dividers. Because they’re easy to install on existing furniture, sales took off immediately. Now, we’re just as well-known for privacy solutions as we are for our desks.
August 2019 – Catering to the needs of schools and businesses in need of flexible charging solutions, we launched our line of KwikBoost Edgepower® cordless device charging stations.
December 2019 - Stand Up Desk Store launched on Walmart.com! We also opened a brand new, state-of-the-art distribution center in Gurnee, Illinois, about 10 minutes from our headquarters. This allowed us to disburse our product and have a designated, larger space for our SUDS products in our Trussville, Alabama warehouse. Our third warehouse, located in the Netherlands, enables us to ship to 29 countries.
June 2020 - Helping address the challenges of maintaining a safe work environment during a pandemic, we expanded our ReFocus® line to include acrylic sneeze guards. These include desk dividers, cubicle wall extenders, and more.
Today – While our team works at home to stay safe, we continue developing new products that meet your needs. We are looking forward to returning to our office later this year.
So there you have it, Stand Up Desk Store started from an idea to offer products to make people more active, comfortable, and productive during their workday.
Today on National Inventors' Day, we thank all the inventors and idea developers who have made our lives better. And to those of you out there that have an idea simmering in your mind, we encourage you to just jump on it and see where it takes you.
Every invention comes from one idea.
