According to the Self Storage Association (SSA), the self-storage industry generated more than $22 billion in annual US revenues in 2011, with more than 49,000 self-storage facilities in the United States. This market demand has continued growing due to population growth in urban centers and changing customer experience expectations.
Total rentable space in the US is now more than 2.3 billion square feet across storage units, climate-controlled units, and specialized storage rooms, which is more than three times the size of Manhattan.
One in ten US households currently rents at least one storage unit from the storage industry to store seasonal items and overflow belongings, and at the end of 2011, all self-storage facilities employed approximately 169,000 people. For every man, woman, and child in the motherland, there are 7.3 square feet of self-storage space.
Whew! Let’s take a break. That’s a lot of statistics crammed into a small amount of space–I’m getting dizzy just thinking about all those numbers! What it boils down to is this: storage facilities are a significant part of the fabric of our everyday culture. This piqued my interest –where did all these storage facilities come from?
Today’s storage industry has evolved significantly, with modern storage facilities featuring climate-controlled storage, security cameras, video surveillance, access codes, online booking, digital booking platforms, and even mobile app access. The sharing economy and demand for on-demand storage solutions have further transformed storage practices, making storage rentals more accessible through online leasing and improved customer experience.
There is evidence of some concept of self-storage dating all the way back to 2,000 years ago in Ancient China, where ancient civilizations developed early storage practices for valuable goods. The British refined this concept by placing contents in crates inside stables and having watchmen serve as an early security service, a precursor to today’s security systems with security cameras and access gates.
In 1891, brothers Martin and John Bekins founded Bekins Company in Omaha, NE, offering professional storage services that would shape the storage industry. In 1895, Martin expanded the business to Los Angeles and started using moving vans. In 1906, the Bekins Warehouse was built–the first reinforced steel and concrete building in the city, featuring modern storage units and improved security solutions for the era. During the first half of the century, the company set up a large number of fireproof warehouses throughout southern California.
After World War II, Bekins focused on four major areas of service: local moving and storage within communities; long distance moving of household and other valuable goods requiring climate-controlled facilities and temperature control; international moving and storage for military personnel and civilians; and other related services, such as the storage of business records in specialized storage rooms, records management, film storage requiring climate-controlled storage units, and office and industrial moving with packing tips for customers. The Bekins company pioneered the modern concept of containerized storage.
It wasn’t until the Swinging Sixties that storage units and modern storage facilities really took off in the United States, driven by market demand and population growth. The first facility using garage-style doors was built by Russ Williams and his stepson Bob Munn in Odessa, Texas, in 1964, concisely named A-1 U-Store-It U-Lock-It U-Carry-the-Key.
This facility revolutionized the self-storage industry with its customer experience focused on convenient locker access and personal access codes. The building was created for the oil industry so that they could have quick access to tools and supplies. Soon after, the whole country followed suit, and facilities began popping up all over.
These new facilities introduced innovations like climate-controlled storage for sensitive items, improved security systems, including early video surveillance, and eventually public storage chains that standardized the customer experience across locations.
For many years, storage rentals functioned as transitional solutions to moving, marrying or divorcing, or a death in the family, with customers storing seasonal items and household goods. As real disposable personal income grew and the cost of buying plunged from 1970 to 2008, modern storage facilities continued to prosper and expand with innovations like multi-story storage in urban centers, mixed-use storage developments, and climate-controlled units to hold more permanent overflow of American homes.
Modern storage facilities are still very much a part of the cultural landscape today, now featuring advanced storage technology like smart lockers, mobile app access, digital booking platforms, online booking, and sustainable practices. Popular shows such as Storage Wars and Auction Hunters continue to bring a large spotlight to the self-storage world, while the rise of the sharing economy has introduced new on-demand storage solutions and urban adaptations of traditional storage practices.
From ancient civilizations storing goods in primitive storage rooms to today’s climate-controlled facilities with security cameras, access gates, temperature control, and online leasing through digital booking platforms, the self-storage industry has transformed dramatically.
Whether you’re looking for public storage, professional storage services, climate-controlled storage units, or modern on-demand storage solutions with mobile app access and smart lockers, today’s storage industry offers unprecedented customer experience and convenience.
The evolution continues with sustainable practices, urban adaptations like multi-story storage and mixed-use storage in urban centers, and advanced security solutions, including video surveillance and access codes, making storage rentals more accessible than ever for storing seasonal items and valuable possessions.
Melynda Kloc
With a deep passion for writing, poetry, and storytelling, I've built a career creating copy that educates, builds trust, and encourages genuine connection between customers and brands. Drawing from my background in fine arts, I bring a creative perspective to strategic content that prioritizes authentic voice over formulaic approaches. I believe the best copy doesn't just inform—it creates real human connection in an increasingly automated world.
