diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/service/StorageService.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/service/StorageService.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cfae271
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/service/StorageService.java
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+package org.onosproject.store.service;
+
+/**
+ * Storage service.
+ * <p>
+ * This service provides operations for creating key-value stores.
+ * One can chose to create key-value stores with varying properties such
+ * as strongly consistent vs eventually consistent, durable vs volatile.
+ * <p>
+ * Various store implementations should leverage the data structures provided
+ * by this service
+ */
+public interface StorageService {
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a ConsistentMap.
+     *
+     * @param name map name
+     * @param serializer serializer to use for serializing keys and values.
+     * @return consistent map.
+     * @param <K> key type
+     * @param <V> value type
+     */
+    <K, V> ConsistentMap<K , V> createConsistentMap(String name, Serializer serializer);
+
+    // TODO: add API for creating Eventually Consistent Map.
+}
\ No newline at end of file