As the self-storage industry permeates our communities, it receives increasing attention from mainstream media outletsand not always favorably. As industry professionals, we should be aware of how self-storage is presented to the public. Media Watchdog is devoted to policing and summarizing general news coverage. To submit news items, e-mail [email protected]. 

Storage Seen as Symbol of 21st-Century Life 

From The Decatur Daily, 9.17.06 

Sprawling orange-metal buildings on every corner in Decatur, Ala., are a microcosm of life in the 21st century and symbol of our obsession with stuff, says Auburn University sociology professor Paul Starr. Thirty-eight self-storage units are listed in the city phone directory, and several were built too late to get a listing. Acquiring an excess of goods is a recent phenomenon. American consumerism has never been greater. Were persuaded that happiness is the acquisition of goods, Starr said.

Renters Find Items Ruined 

From El Paso Times, 9.20.06 

Property stored at the El Paso, Texas, U-Store-It Self-Storage was damaged by repeated flooding in August. But some tenants believe the loss of property could have been prevented if theyd been allowed to retrieve their items in the days after the historic rainfall that paralyzed El Paso and ruined some homes. U-Store-It officials say they were only following guidelines given to them by city inspectors when they padlocked many of the storage units and denied renters access to the site, which had been deemed a hazard.

Facility to Mimic Main Street 

From Memphis Daily News, 8.10.06 

Horn Lake, Tenn., planners describe their proposed self-storage facility as having a design unmatched in DeSoto County. The 120,000-square-foot, climate-controlled, state-of-the-art facility will mimic the style of a Main Street storefront, using faux windows, vivid colors, and a variety of brick and stone. In addition, it will have a managers apartment, a pool, locker rooms and laundry facilities. The project also includes an adjoining RV park that could hold upward of 100 units.

Storage Replaces Antique Mall 

From The Birmingham News, 9.19.06 

A Hoover, Ala., landmark closed to make way for an $8.2 million self-storage facility and shopping center. Hoovers Antique Super Mall, scheduled to be razed in November, will be replaced with a five-story, climate-controlled storage business. Construction on the 150,000-square-foot self-storage facility and the 10,400- square-foot shopping center will begin soon. Owners Bill Nix said he and his father, Jack, have been in the self-storage business for several years.

Elegant Storage Planned 

From Charlotte Sun-Herald, 9.15.06 

A five-story, 90,000-square-foot storage building will be among the retail buildings planned for Veterans Commons in Murdock, Fla. The five-story, climate-controlled building will have a facade as elegant as the other structures planned for the site, which includes retail space, offices, three restaurants and a bank.

Site Wins Approval Despite Opposition 

From Allston-Brighton TAB, 9.15.06 

A proposal for a Public Storage facility was given the go-ahead by the Boston Zoning Board of Appeal, but the opposition said they arent happy with the outcome or how a final meeting was conducted. The company held community meetings and canvassed the neighborhood around the site to win support for the plan.

Fire Damage Estimated at $2 Million 

From The Orange County Register, 8.29.06 

Customers are wondering what they have left after a fire at Trabuco Self Storage in Lake Forest, Calif. The fire either damaged or destroyed belongings of 75 customers when it swept through the two-story, 1,000-unit storage facility. Fifteen units were destroyed and 60 more were damaged from heat, smoke and water. Structural damage was estimated at $1.5 million; loss of property at $500,000.

Fire Damages Six Storage Units 

From The Woodbridge Sentinel, 8.8.06 

Sparks from a saw appear to be the cause of a blaze that damaged six units of Access Self Storage in Woodbridge, N.J. The units contained blankets, a car, truck, and construction and office-storage equipment. Nearly everything was damaged or destroyed. There are more than 1,300 units in the facility, according to fire officials.