Self Storage History
The industry of self storage (short for "self-service storage") encompasses renting storage space to tenants. The typical self storage business, such as Store More America, offers rooms and lockers on a monthly basis. The tenants, individuals and businesses, are able to store personal or business related items. As of 2010, there are over 45,000 storage related businesses in the United Staes.
Rented mini-storage units are typically secured by a customers personal lock & key. Employees of a self storage facility do not usually have casual access to a tenants locked space. The self storage industry is highlighted in a reality television show called, "Storage Wars", wherein storage auctions are the main attraction.
Historically, there is evidence of public storage in ancient China. Modern-day mini storage facilities in which only the customer has access to the storage unit did not start to appear until the early 1960s. Storage facilities grew slowly in the 1990s. During that time, demand outpaced supply. Thus began a new wave of self storage developments. Over 21,000 storage facilities were built from 2000 to 2009.
Learn more about the sizes of self storage units offered by Store More America.
