Debunking Self-Storage History: The Real Story Behind the First U.S. Facility (And Why It Matters Today)

With over 52,000 facilities generating approximately $44-45 billion in revenue as of 2025, self-storage has become a recession-resistant powerhouse in American real estate. It's an industry that touches millions of lives—roughly 12.6% of U.S. households rent a storage unit—yet its origin story remains surprisingly murky in many online sources.

While researching the industry's roots, I came across Grokipedia's entry on self-storage, which offers a comprehensive overview of the sector. However, there's a significant historical error that needs correcting: the article attributes the founding of the first modern self-storage facility in 1958 to "Terrence Drayton and Martin Doxey." The problem? These individuals don't appear to have any documented connection to self-storage history. Let's set the record straight with verifiable historical facts—and explore why getting this history right matters for understanding today's booming industry.

The Real Founders: The Collum Family and Lauderdale Storage

The actual pioneers of modern self-storage were Russ Williams, his wife Bettie, and Louis Collum, who opened Lauderdale Storage in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1958. This wasn't just another warehouse—it was a revolutionary concept that laid the groundwork for the entire industry we know today.

According to the Self Storage Association, Lauderdale Storage introduced several innovations that defined the modern self-storage model:

• Individual unit rentals on a month-to-month basis (no long-term leases required)
• Drive-up accessibility allowing customers to load and unload directly at their unit
• Self-service access where renters controlled their own entry
• A variety of unit sizes to accommodate different storage needs

These features might seem standard now, but in 1958, they represented a radical departure from traditional warehousing, which required long-term contracts and limited customer access.

The Collum family's entrepreneurial insight came at exactly the right moment in American history. The late 1950s witnessed explosive suburban growth driven by the post-World War II baby boom—between 1946 and 1964, approximately 76 million babies were born in the United States. As families moved from urban apartments to larger suburban homes, they accumulated more possessions while transitioning between living spaces. The Interstate Highway System, launched in 1956, made car-centric storage facilities increasingly practical.

Lauderdale Storage's success sparked a movement. By recognizing that Americans needed flexible, accessible storage solutions—not industrial warehousing—the Collums created a template that thousands of entrepreneurs would follow.

Why the Historical Record Matters

You might wonder: does it really matter who founded the first facility? Actually, yes—for several reasons.

First, it's about giving credit where it's due. The Collum family and their partners took a genuine risk on an unproven concept. Their innovation deserves recognition, especially as the industry they created now serves millions.

Second, understanding the real history helps us grasp the industry's evolution. The Lauderdale Storage model emerged from specific post-war American conditions: suburbanization, increased mobility, and growing consumer culture. Recognizing these roots helps us understand why self-storage has remained resilient through economic cycles—it addresses fundamental needs related to life transitions, downsizing, and space constraints.

Third, accurate history builds industry credibility. As self-storage matures into a major real estate sector attracting institutional investment and REITs, having a well-documented origin story enhances professional legitimacy.

The Industry Today: From Suburban Necessity to Business Essential

The self-storage industry has evolved far beyond its 1950s origins. Today's sector reflects dramatic shifts in how Americans live and work:

Household Usage Remains Strong: Despite economic fluctuations, approximately 12.6% of U.S. households currently rent storage units. The primary drivers include:

• Life transitions (moving, divorce, death in the family)
• Downsizing and decluttering trends (popularized by shows like "Tidying Up")
• Temporary storage during home renovations
• College students and military families needing flexible solutions

Business Rentals Are Booming: Perhaps the most significant shift is that businesses now account for 20-30% of storage rentals, driven largely by e-commerce growth. Small online retailers use storage units as inventory warehouses, avoiding the overhead of commercial space. This trend accelerated dramatically during the pandemic as e-commerce sales surged.

Climate-Controlled Units Are the New Standard: Early facilities like Lauderdale Storage offered basic drive-up units. Today's renters increasingly demand climate-controlled spaces to protect electronics, documents, wine collections, and sensitive inventory—a premium segment commanding higher rates.

Technology Integration: Modern facilities bear little resemblance to 1958's Lauderdale Storage. Today's operations feature:

• Smartphone-enabled access systems
• Online rental and payment platforms
• 24/7 security cameras with remote monitoring
• Automated kiosks for contactless rental

Institutional Investment: What started as a mom-and-pop business has attracted major capital. Public Storage (NYSE: PSA), founded in 1972, is now a multi-billion-dollar REIT. The sector's recession-resistant characteristics—people need storage during both good times (accumulation) and bad times (downsizing)—make it attractive to institutional investors.

Looking Forward: Storage in the 2020s and Beyond

The self-storage industry faces interesting challenges and opportunities ahead:

Urban densification is creating demand for storage in city centers, where living spaces are shrinking. Expect more multi-story facilities and creative uses of urban real estate.

Sustainability concerns are pushing operators toward solar panels, LED lighting, and eco-friendly building materials—a far cry from the metal sheds of 1958.

Flexible workspaces within storage facilities are emerging, as some operators convert units into small office or workshop spaces for entrepreneurs and remote workers.

The industry that Russ Williams, Bettie Williams, and Louis Collum pioneered in 1958 has proven remarkably adaptable. From its roots serving post-war suburban families to today's role supporting e-commerce entrepreneurs and urban dwellers, self-storage continues to evolve with American life.

Conclusion: Setting the Record Straight

While Grokipedia's article provides valuable information about the self-storage industry, attributing its founding to "Terrence Drayton and Martin Doxey" perpetuates historical inaccuracy. The real credit belongs to the Collum family and their partners at Lauderdale Storage, who took a risk on an innovative concept in 1958 Fort Lauderdale.

Getting this history right isn't just about correcting Wikipedia—it's about honoring the genuine innovators who created an industry now serving tens of millions of Americans and generating tens of billions in economic activity. As self-storage continues adapting to new technologies and changing lifestyles, we should remember the entrepreneurs who first recognized that Americans needed flexible, accessible space to store their growing accumulation of stuff.

Have you used self-storage? What surprised you most about the industry's history? Share your thoughts in the comments below.