Chris Haas and Steve Burcham were both military combat veterans with extensive industry experience. Noticing that there was a need for quick, high quality access to sandbags, they launched “The Sandbag Store” in 2012. They ensured that the product was manufactured in the USA and employed as many veterans as possible. The Sandbag Store quickly became an internet leader and exceeded the needs of their fast-growing customer base. They continued to improve the quality and versatility of their bags. Soon they developed the stronger, longer-lasting,
"DuraBag", the first US-manufactured sandbag with an innovative polyethylene mesh fabric and unique 7-year guarantee. Until then, a 3-month lifetime guarantee was the industry maximum. Their free shipping was unprecedented, which made "DuraBag" an instant success and placed "The Sandbag Store" on the internet map. Following the success of "DuraBag", "The Sandbag Store" continued to improve and expand. They launched more variants of sandbags which were specialized to specific needs of real users. All the new sandbags were made with high-quality materials. They also introduced pre-filled and sewn theatrical sandbags, which revolutionized the industry’s previous Velcro and zipper versions. They married this new line with their continued guaranteed free delivery. This was highly appreciated by independent producers who for the first time could afford pro-grade bags. Within two years, "The Sandbag Store" had experienced substantial growth as they continued to expand their product line to meet an ever-increasing range of industries. They introduced low-cost flood sandbags, bulk bags and countless other specialist products. At the same time, they continued their focus on research and development so they could meet the needs of real users. With their belief in continued improvement and consumer satisfaction, they focused on faster turnaround by their new in-house filling equipment.
By 2015, their product range numbered in the hundreds and provided multiple industries with high-quality sandbags designed to their specific uses. Some of their newest innovations changed the sandbag industry forever. One of these innovations included, “The Armor Sandbag” released in 2015. “The Armor Sandbag” was defined as “hardened” and “indestructible strength” – in short, it was “military grade” equipment. Another innovation was the veteran-designed, "Armor Sandbag" which was developed through rigorous testing. It became a flagship product known for its strength and durability. The "Ace Sandbag" was launched in 2017. "The Sandbag Store" redesigned its well-known custom print shop and relaunched the "Ace Sandbag", using new print shop’s leading screen printing, sewing and high-speed filling technologies. Finally, the new Burcham Bagger Filling Machine was debuted in 2017 and then again, it's sister product, The Ultimate Bagger debuted with immediate sensation at the 2019 National Hurricane Conference. Chris and Steve continue to press forward with new sandbags and machine innovations to provide the best possible products to the variant industries they serve.
