| The home storage industry is experiencing a recent | | | | storage unit very often, it is unlikely you will |
| Renaissance. It seems that most every day | | | | experience a climate related accident such as freezing |
| someone comes out with a new and clever way to | | | | of water damage. If the roof is leaking in these |
| hang something, box something or store something. | | | | storage centers, someone will notice. If the roof is |
| The most recent improvement has been in long term | | | | leaking in a single storage bays of a free standing self |
| storage which is also climate controlled storage. | | | | storage center, no one would notice until you arrived |
| There is a growing trend in markets large and small | | | | and opened the door. |
| to convert former grocery stores or other vacant | | | | Another plus of these next generation storage |
| retail space into secure, climate controlled storage | | | | centers is many will offer high security storage. This |
| centers. This new market model is a win-win for | | | | is usually a section within the storage center that is |
| everyone. Strip mall owners are able to get long term | | | | well secured, with heavier locks on doors, better |
| leases on retail space that was sitting idle. The self | | | | video monitoring and often manned by a security |
| storage center is able to get a great price on existing | | | | guard 24/7. These are well suited for the storage of |
| space that is already under roof and has HVAC. | | | | valuable antiques or works of art. While not |
| Plus,can be converted less expensively to storage | | | | inexpensive, this level of storage goes for a fraction |
| units then if they were starting from scratch. The big | | | | of what high end, all-climate storage used to cost. |
| winner is the self-storage consumer. | | | | The only down side to these new storage centers, |
| Since these new storage centers are in retail areas | | | | especially those that are just getting started, they do |
| they tend to be more conveniently located than | | | | not offer the same access that the more mature |
| newer, free-standing self storage centers. Because | | | | free standing self storage centers offer. |
| the overhead is lower the rates for individual storage | | | | Because there are now more options then ever for |
| units are often less expensive per square foot. | | | | self storage, including the new portable on demand |
| These centers also offer a wider variety of space | | | | storage solutions, rates have been stabilizing and in |
| options since not all of their storage units are the | | | | some cases actually coming down. You would be well |
| same cookie-cutter size. This is really handy if you | | | | advised to shop around for the best pricing, especially |
| have something that is over sized or an odd shape | | | | if you are looking for a long term contract. Self |
| that needs to be stored. The biggest plus is this new | | | | service center owners are less likely to give a price |
| generation of climate controlled storage is an added | | | | break to someone who will only be there for a few |
| level of security. | | | | months, but will often cut deals better than the |
| The converted retail stores to self storage centers | | | | printed price sheet for someone looking at a multiple |
| have limited access, either through the front doors or | | | | year lease. |
| the shipping bay doors. These are easy to monitor | | | | Before you sign any long term contract, be sure to |
| both by humans and by video security cameras. This | | | | read it carefully and insist on a job change or |
| is much better that hundreds of feet of chain length | | | | emergence "escape" clause. If you suddenly get |
| fence - often with blind spots that are not monitored | | | | transferred or have something else unforeseen |
| - and the risk of someone breaking into your storage | | | | occur, you don't want to end up paying for years on |
| unit undetected. | | | | an empty storage unit. |
| Another plus, especially if you do not visit your | | | | |