"Blind auctions" and the self-storage industry got a little attention from the NPR program "All Things Considered" a couple of weeks ago.

It's a pretty good and fair piece, I think, except for the little dig about the self-storage industry being emblematic of America's consumer lifestyle.

Take a listen and share your reaction:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=104521902

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John Carlisle
Community Manager, Self-Storage Talk
Virgo Publishing LLC
jcarlisle at vpico dot com
312-623-9395

I thought for a change the PR that self storage facilities may receive from this was not negative and at least they were fair in stating that the reason for the auctions was due to the customer not paying for the use of the space. All in all I thought they did a pretty good story.

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Mel Holsinger, President
Professional Self Storage Management, LLC
3434 E. Kleindale Ste. E
Tucson, AZ 85716
O: 520.320.9135
F: 520.320.9435
www.proselfstorage.com

I am thinking we may get more folks interested in attending auctions

It was not a bad piece at all, I was surprised. The (different) woman that phoned me from NPR about two months back was looking for the big, bad, ugly storage places story. She was definitely out looking for the negative side. This reporter presented the situation quite fairly I think.

Forrest O'Brien, the auctioneer and Mary Kramer from Brokaw are both friends and colleagues of mine. One thing is; Mary or any of us will NOT let a unit go for six months unpaid if we have anything to say about it. The CA lien laws are precise and no one wants to have to re-do a lien to satisfy the State Statutes. All in all, it was a nice piece from someone outside of the industry.

Geraldine, we're already getting record crowds at auctions so I hope you're wrong! We always buy four-five dozen donuts for our auction buyers! If any more show up we may have to break open the piggy bank.

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Gina 6k
CochraneStorage dot com
Morgan Hill, California
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough!

Hey Gina, I could use some of your crowds of auction attendees. Perhaps I will advertise down your way What is it, only about 8 hours away?

Geraldine, give storageauctions dot com a visit. Cheesy website in my humble opinion, but they do a danged good job with their auctions and have a great following. Yesterday, 80 bidders showed up for a seven unit auction up this way. I've known the owner since he started his business.

The bidders are clamoring for items to sell to make a dollar here and there. It's worth a shot to give them a call if you need better response for your auctions.

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Gina 6k
CochraneStorage dot com
Morgan Hill, California
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough!

Another story about auctions. The media must be enamored with this concept right now:

Surprises Unlocked at Storage Unit Auctions from the prestigious Oroville Mercury-Register.

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John Carlisle
Community Manager, Self-Storage Talk
Virgo Publishing LLC
jcarlisle at vpico dot com
312-623-9395

John, is it just me, or does this auctioneer seem to think that he is the only honest person, along with this saintly manager, in the entire storage business? It sounds like everyone else who has ever run an auction is a thief. Also, all of us managers, too. Excuse me, but what and idiot.

I cut locks, and did auctions for years for USI, and I resent the implications this idiot is making. Are there people out there that steal from spaces? Yes, I'm sure that there are.

Incidently, different states have different statutes that require different things. If your statute requires advertising what you can see in the space, how do you satisfy that requirement if you don't cut the lock until the time of the auction?

And the manager. Our managers don't have the opportunity to steal? It sounds like they need to review their hiring practices, as they have to find a way to stop their employees from stealing.

Rant and rave, I know, but, geez.

Have a nice day,

Bob (Astro)

I agree with Bob wholeheartedly, this is a bad take on auctions services and managers alike. The manager didn't do our industry any favors with his comments did he?

I'd like to know how their auction ads that are required under the CA Lien Law reads.

How do they get qualified buyers at their auctions if there is a 'special' unit. Say full of antiques, or specialized equipment for example.

A simple "Household goods and miscellaneous boxes" ad isn't good enough to stave off a lawsuit if there is something of extreme value in the unit.

Our auctioneers cut the lock while we look on and take photos, they videotape as well, so as the door rolls up it is all documented. We take a photo of the contents, do a quick inventory and advertise any special items of interest we see. The door is closed, our company overlock goes on, the auctioneer puts on his numbered seal and neither are opened until the bidders are gathered around the unit.

One guy started talking c**p at an auction about us, and other facilities and offended us, the other bidders & our auctioneer. He was invited to leave and not come back. All I have to say at this point is there is NOTHING (and never has been) anything in anyone's unit that is worth risking my lively hood and a career I enjoy immensely over.

We purchased a bicycle stand from an auction buyer once. He didn't know what it was, it was something we could use so I did a quick Google search, he saw the going rate of $15 and tried to just give it to me. I paid him for it, and he said he so appreciates the way we treat our buyers he always comes to our auctions. He never worries about 'company units' or cherry picking at our place, plus we bring in special treats for our bidders.

I guess there's always a few bad apples, but this misconception of us as a group being a gang of thieves has got to stop! Someone call that guy up in Red Bluff please and get him on board. Holier than thou, only honest ones... geesh! Give me a break!

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Gina 6k
CochraneStorage dot com
Morgan Hill, California
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough!

did anybody catch that the Oroville paper piece was written by an INTERN? Not saying that a paid reporter would have caught the theme that both the auctioneer and owner of the site being covered tried to perpetuate - that most managers and owners are crooks, that auctions are only rigged, and that only these two guys walk righteously - but I sure hope he/she would have.

What to make of a guy who manages to slam the industry that provides his living. In reading the piece, I kept wanting to offer him a nice, steaming cup of STFU.