October 1, 2001

2 Min Read
Porta il vino, por favore

Porta il vino, por favore

Duringcollege, I spent a semester living in the walled medieval city of Siena, Italy,a sleepy, traditional town just an hour-long train ride from Florence. From ourfifth-floor palazzo apartment, nestled on Via San Martino, my flatmates and Iwould look out over the rolling hillsides and terracotta rooftops, which wereradiant with sun. Mornings would find us buying fresh-baked bread in thepanateria just doorways from our own. Afternoons meant basking in the Piazza delCampo (the town center) with friends. And in the evenings, our tables werespread with fresh-rolled gnocchi, olive oil and wine.

Ah, the wine.

At the time, I wasn't perhaps sophisticated enough to appreciate a fineAmarone. Nor did I realize Siena is the home of the Enoteca Italiana, the onlynational institution dedicated to showcasing the fine wines of Italy. The winecellars of the Enoteca are found within the subterranean chambers of theFortezza Medicea, an imposing fortress built in 1561 at the orders of Cosimo Idei Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Today, in the Enoteca's lounge area, visitorsenjoy samplings from the country's best vineyards.

While a storage facility is no 16th-century citadel, there are operatorsreaping the benefits of wine storage and its accompanying camaraderie.Facilities in areas with a wine market are obviously the best candidates, thoughother locales can be successful with the right clientele and marketing strategy.This niche can be rewarding for storage operators not only because of theper-square-foot return, but because the upscale image associated with winedistinguishes a facility from others. On page 28, read about the benefits andchallenges of this specialized business, and the marketing advantages it canproduce. For some, it's a venture ripe for picking.

Another specialty embraced by this industry is the storage of boats, RVs andother vehicles. In this issue, you'll find several articles addressing thepossibilities for this ancillary service, as well as cautions to observe. Readtips on incorporating vehicle storage into an existing facility as well asadvice on amending lease agreements to accommodate this faction of renters.You'll also find information on dry-stack boat storage--lately becoming apopular option--and construction and land requirements for carport storage.

Making more money is good, but making a name for your facility is stellar.Niche services allow for otherwise elusive marketing and profit-buildingopportunities. If wine storage is for you, consider hosting wine tastings atyour facility to drum up exposure. Like the Enoteca, provide a lounge area forwine tenants to relax and share their wares. If you store vehicles, consider theaddition of some perks, such as car-washing or maintenance services. Like a finewine, self-storage is only getting better with age.

Salute,

Teri L. Lanza
Editor
[email protected]

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