A good, sordid tale is always to be relished on Halloween, something ghastly, gruesome or, at the very least, mildly disturbing. I debated whether to resurrect the Tale of the Golden Arm for today's blog (one of my childhood favorites), but decided to go with the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" angle when I was reminded of this recent headline: Garage Condos Could Invade Your Town.

Sounds spooky, doesn't it?

If you're a self-storage operator or manager, it just might. After all, any competition in an already cut-throught market is scary.

Even if you don't believe in ghosts, or the boogeyman, you have to admit that storage condos like the franchise being offered up by GarageTown USA can make even the most confident operator a little uneasy around the edges. Storage units for purchase rather than rent may not seem like an overwhelming threat in a down economy, but then consider peoples' attitudes toward renting an apartment vs. owning a home. Many consider renting to be "throwing money down the drain" while home ownership is generally an investment with great payoff. Will storage condos have the same appeal?

Gnaw on that question this weekend while you're sifting through your kids' bags of chocolate bars, lollipops and other delectable delights. Once you're good and high on your sugar buzz, chime into the blog and let us know your thoughts. Are storage condos like aliens taking over the dollars of healthy storage customers? Are they industry imposters? Or is there room in this market for the next lovable "space invader"?

Have a safe, happy and horrifying holiday!