Site in the Spotlight - 2007

Owner:	BBR Leasing Inc. (John Rigby, Fred Berlet, David Berlet)
Manager:	John Rigby
Location:	Port Elgin, Ontario, Canada
Specs:	19,000 sq ft in 6 buildings, 159 rentable units
Color:	5 buildings are grey block with orange roofs, Trachte building is Slate Gray with an Evergreen roof.

How long have you been in the self-storage industry?

Since 1999. I originally bought an existing 1 acre business with 2 storage buildings and built in phases ever since.

What profession did you hold before entering self storage?

High school teacher – accounting, computer programming, economics.

What sparked your interest in self storage?

I used several units when I moved here and built my retirement home. It seemed like a good business to be in, as there are a lot of new homes being built in this community on the shore of Lake Huron.

How did you choose Trachte as your building supplier?

My wife and I spend February and March in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I have visited several storage facilities there over the last few years and was impressed with the buildings. Also, I had quotes on my old style of building (cement block, wood partitions, steel wall panels, and roof) and the cost was steadily increasing. I saved about 40% by using Trachte, even with the exchange rate.

Who is your target market?

Mainly new home builders and existing home owners. This is a resort community, so people put items in storage businesses for warehousing and file storage.

How do you market your facility?

Of course the yellow pages and ads in local visitor's guides, but I also market by maintaining a strong community presence through sponsorship of a girls hockey team. I also market the facility with a sign on my truck, and dropping off flyers to home builders, retirement homes, and rental truck businesses.

How do you manage your facility?

I am the manager. The business has a phone number where people can leave messages. I can also be contacted by email, and we have a small website (www.stow-it.ca). Word of mouth is also good as I am quite well known in the town and am involved in several volunteer organizations.

What would you say to someone considering a self-storage business?

Location is of primary importance. We are located in the industrial park, next door to the police station, arena, and town administration offices. Also, it is important to pay close attention to local regulations. For instance, our facility must be fenced. Customers must be given a customer letter explaining procedures, and there must be proper, legal contracts to be signed by customers.

What is your opinion of the self-storage investment concept?

This concept is long overdue. It certainly helps to keep a community neater. Land costs are a consideration. I find the return on investment is excellent. I keep building new structures when my vacancy rate drops below 10%. The Trachte buildings are so well designed and reasonably priced that my return is even better.