The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., is celebrating 30 years in business this year. Launched in 1979 by Rudy Meckel, the facility was the first in the area. It started on 4 acres with four buildings that were designed to be converted to a flea market should the storage business fail. Fortunately for Meckel, the now 900-unit, 100,000-plus-square foot facility prospered.
 
In 1997, Meckel opened The Storage Inn II in Ocean City, N.J., which was converted from a former Stainton’s Department Store Annex. It features three floors of storage and retail.
 
Both storage facilities feature truck rental, free porter service (unloading assistance) and climate control. The Egg Harbor site also offers shelving rental, while the Ocean City site provides drive-in bays and indoor units. Meckel plans to offer new services, expanding into records storage and possibly boat/RV storage. 

Meckel is a proven entrepreneur. In addition to self-storage, he runs his family’s road-construction business, and once ventured into real estate with the construction of a local office complex and retail strip mall. The Storage Inn keeps his construction employees occupied during the off-season. Meckel shares operation of his businesses with son, Greg, and daughter, Heidi.

Also considered a gentleman farmer, Meckel adorns his self-storage grounds with a horse carriage or sleigh in blue and yellow, his company colors.

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