Route 66 Self Storage in Pomona, CA. is a part of the U-Haul Self-Storage Affiliate Network. They are also a WebSelfStorage Business Platform user and a U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer. The affiliate program allows U-Haul the opportunity of working with independent self-storage owners. As a result, the program provides the facilities the benefits of an entire network. This helps them grow their business. The self-storage industry is not always known for creating an eye-catching facility design. Yet, locations like Route 66 Self Storage are original and imaginative. Bill Fox owns this facility. It has approximately 1,100 units and sits along the historic Route 66.
Take a journey down the famous Route 66 to learn more about this U-Haul Self-Storage Affiliate and how the facility came to be.
Starting Route 66 Self Storage
U-Haul: Tell us a little bit about your self-storage facility.
Bill Fox: I built the facility in 2003. I live in Claremont and used to drive to my office in San Dimas passing the vacant site every day. As a developer, I also look out for opportunities. This property always stumped me due to the front-to-back slope of around 20’. Retailers don’t want to be below the street and at the time the residential market was flat. I came up with the idea of a self-storage facility. I attended a few self-storage trade shows and hired an architect that I met at the show and the rest is history.
Design and Signage
U-Haul: You have a very unique looking facility, how did you come about the design? What was the inspiration behind the fun theme?
Bill Fox: Our architect wanted to try and pull in a theme to showcase the facility. Our property is located along historic Route 66 so the theme was incorporated into our office design and our signage. We used neon signage and an art-deco style. The city resisted at first because this did not fit the typical project, but they were pleased with the finished product.
U-Haul: Do you receive a lot of feedback from customers and your community?
Bill Fox: Yes, we constantly have people walk in and think we are a retail store or mistake us for the restaurant next door. Our customers are always trying to buy our gas pumps and other antiques that we have hanging from the ceiling. Every few months we have travelers show up trying to figure out Route 66. The original road changes names from town to town and sections of the road have been replaced with freeways. We recently had a couple in from Brazil who took pictures with our staff and we gave them a free Route 66 T-shirt as a souvenir.
U-Haul: Do you think having a fun theme gives you an advantage in your local storage community?
Bill Fox: I think we stand out among the other properties around us. So many first-time customers give us compliments on the facility, which gives us a good feeling that we have created a “fun” environment and not just another storage place.
Becoming an Affiliate
U-Haul: Is there anything you’d like affiliates in the network to know about your facility?
Bill Fox: We are so pleased to partner with U-Haul and we are grateful to our area field manager, Jeff, who keeps the trucks flowing. I resisted Jeff’s offer to become a dealer for 6 to 9 months. Through his hard work we are starting to see more self-storage rentals, helping our core business. We are so pleased with our partnership with U-Haul and look forward to more success as the word gets out in the community.
Facility owners can find more information on becoming self-storage affiliates. They can do this by visiting the Self-Storage Affiliate website. And, if you are ever driving through the area, stop by and check out the design for Route 66 Self Storage! As you can tell from this interview, they love their self-storage customers and visitors!
Have you seen this cool self-storage facility? Let us know in the comments!
