A short interview at the front counter
Why storage, and why Midrand?
I had moved house three times in four years and every time ended up paying for a garage I hardly used. Midrand sits between Johannesburg and Pretoria, so people moving in either direction pass by. The first building had twenty units and a gate that stuck in the rain.
Who were the first customers?
Mostly families between homes, and a florist in Halfway House who needed somewhere cool for buckets and stands. She still rents a unit, a bigger one now.
What went wrong early on?
We sold units by size alone and people kept booking spaces that were too small. That is why we started offering a walk-through and a box count before anyone signs. It slowed sales a little and cut move-in problems almost completely.
What changed when businesses started renting?
They needed access outside office hours, delivery acceptance and shelving. We added a loading bay, extended gate hours and began receiving stock on behalf of tenants.
What would you tell someone renting today?
Count your boxes, label every side and leave a path down the middle of the unit. You will thank yourself the first time you need one thing from the back.