CdA firm finds room to grow

An aging and affluent population has created a national market for GarageTown USA.

Three years after the Coeur d’Alene company opened its first condominium storage project in North Idaho, the firm has expanded to five other states.

The condo storage units are popular with people who need to store classic cars, high-end boats and RVs. The units are located in gated, landscaped developments. They come with heat, electricity and a clubhouse for members. Prices start at about $50,000 and for large units, the price tag can exceed $200,000.

Arizona has been particularly fertile territory for GarageTown. The company recently completed a 50-unit development in Chandler, and it has three other Arizona projects on the drawing board.

“In Arizona, almost every single person who has bought one has a classic car,” said Carri Berglund, GarageTown’s director of sales and marketing.

The snowbird culture also plays a role, she said. Retirees need to place to store stuff when they’re gone for the summer months.

GarageTown is also developing storage condos in Texas, Colorado, Alaska and Western Washington. Small businesses, including contractors and landscapers, account for some of the demand. But a large part comes from retirees and baby boomers who are downsizing into smaller homes or condos, Berglund said.

“They don’t want to worry about these big yards anymore,” she said. “But they still have cars, RVs and family heirlooms they don’t want to get rid of. This is a permanent storage solution for them.”

GarageTown USA was the brainchild of three North Idaho builders – Tom Johnson, Cliff Mort and Jae Enos. With subdivision covenants getting stricter, they frequently heard comments like, “Gee, I wish I could build a shop on my property,” or “I’d sure like to add onto my garage,” according to Berglund.

Americans paid out nearly $19 billion in rental storage fees in 2005, according to the Self Storage Association, which is based in Alexandria, Va. At least part of that market, the builders figured, would prefer to own their storage unit.

GarageTown built two storage developments in Coeur d’Alene, plus projects in Hayden, Spokane Valley and Kennewick. The catchiness of the firm’s name prompted inquiries from other parts of the country, Berglund said. In some states, the company has partnered with local builders on the projects, she said.

GarageTown USA employs 10 people at its corporate office in Coeur d’Alene. The principals are the three founding builders and attorney Chuck Lempesis.