Today we’d like to introduce you to Ann & Rick Petersen.
Ann & Rick, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My husband and I were looking for a business we could run together once we retired from the corporate world. We didn’t know what kind of business we were looking for when the opportunity came up to purchase a Self-Storage facility near where we lived. It included both indoor storage and outdoor storage and was the perfect size for us. My husband takes care of all of the outdoor aspects of the business, and I take care of the paperwork. Our goal is to maintain the facility in great shape, and offer excellent customer service. We’ve been lucky to have great clients.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When we first purchased the facility, I was at the tail end of finishing up a certificate program in college, so the two projects collided a bit, but it all worked out once things settled down. We had some units and some vehicles in the facility that were “Mysteries” for a while, but within the first year we got that cleaned up. We needed to learn the business, and we joined the Illinois Self Storage Association which provided us some guidance.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Upside Partners – DBA Upside Storage – what should we know?
The Self-Storage business has really grown over the years, and you see them popping up all over. We are lucky that we have both indoor and outdoor storage. Many of our clients store both their outdoor RV or Boat in our lot and also have an indoor storage – they like that they can have them all in one place.
I would say we specialize in customer service. Even though we don’t have an office at the facility, we are available by phone 7 days a week. In most cases we are able to meet someone out at the facility within 15 minutes.
We offer very competitive rates, and in most cases we are lower than our competition. We are full more often than have openings, but we keep a waiting list and are good about calling people when something opens up.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Rick and I work well together. We’ve gotten to know many of our clients, and will stop and talk to them when we are out at the facility. Rick had done an amazing job fixing up the facility including weed control, trimming trees, spreading gravel, keeping it picked up and clean – many long term clients have commented about how good it looks. We take a lot of pride in our business, and providing great customer service.
Pricing:
- 3 size indoor units: 10′ x 20′ is $100/mo; 10′ x 10′ is $65/mo; and 5′ x 10′ is $45/month
- outdoor units range in size and run between $30 – $55/month
- Customers who pay a year in advance receive a free month
Contact Info:
- Address: Upside Storage
5240 Mann Drive
Ringwood, IL 60072 - Website: www.upsidestorageillinois.com
- Phone: 262-939-9880
- Email: upsidestorage@yahoo.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/upsidestorage
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