Thread: Celebrities in the Self-Storage Business

Aside from Barry Switzer, who owns nearly a dozen storage facilities in Oklahoma and is the former coach of the Dallas Cowboys, do you know of some celebrities who are in the business?

If not celebrities per se, maybe prominent politicians?

Our owners have a cousin who is a celebrity --- Anyone remember Richard Hatch? No, not the fool on Survivor - the REAL Richard Hatch.

For those who don't remember he played Commander Apollo in the original Battle Star Galactica, and also played Tom Zarek in the new Battle Star Galactica.

I have had the pleasure of meeting him once so far.

John
One of the biggest stars who has been into self storage for many decades is Art Linkletter. Now 97. They have just two facilities now. OK you are too young to remember him, but he was a big TV star in the 50's with House Party, People Are Funny and The Art Linkletter Show. His big bit was getting Kids to Say the Darndest Things

MisterJim444
http://www.linkletterselfstorage.com/

I think Ben Stein is somehow tied in..he was the keynote speaker at a convention a year or two back and made note of how investing in s-s had worked out really well for him. Could be that he bought into a fund or other vehicle that included storage or he may be an outright owner or part-owner, but either way, he has skin in this game.

I met a potential investor at the Las Vegas Expo last week who's an actor. His name is Chip Heller. He's done a lot of theater, TV work and some movies. He was impressive in person. Very tall, had presence. So when he told Scott (my coworker) and I that he'd done some acting, I could see it. Thanks, Chip! Great soundbites!

There is a former football player that is in the business, I can't quite remember his name right now. He owns or owned a chain that has a facility near me....uh...um....dang I can't remember.

Ok, so I just used the YP for the first time in about a year to get the name of the facility.... and after a little Googling, it's Lance Alworth, former wide receiver.

" Lance Alworth had already gone bankrupt. By 1972 his 11-year pro football career (and primary source of income) was ending, a series of investments had failed, and he needed to do something quickly. "I was in Dallas, and I drove past a building with a lot of doors," Alworth says. The building was a self-storage facility (a new idea at the time), and Alworth returned home to San Diego intent on building his own. When he couldn't obtain a loan—one bank officer asked, "How in the world are you going to rent 1,005 little-bitty closets?"—Glenn Gregory, a friend Alworth had made while playing with the San Diego Chargers for nine seasons, lent him the money to break ground.

After years of living "hand to mouth," Alworth opened his first facility in '76. "I didn't even know what an escrow was," he says. "Glenn is the reason I'm where I am." Today Alworth, 60, is owner of All Aboard Mini Storage, which has 26 locations in California. "In our eyes," says Josie Miller, Alworth's partner for 24 years, "he's as big a star here as he was in the NFL.""

storman
when we moved from chicago to san diego in 78' we bought a facility from lance alworth it was called gaurdian self storage on princess view drive small world huh
phil

Originally Posted by MisterJim444

John
One of the biggest stars who has been into self storage for many decades is Art Linkletter. Now 97. They have just two facilities now. OK you are too young to remember him, but he was a big TV star in the 50's with House Party, People Are Funny and The Art Linkletter Show. His big bit was getting Kids to Say the Darndest Things

MisterJim444
http://www.linkletterselfstorage.com/

I actually have seen footage of the old bit "Kids Say the Darndest Things." They resurrected it as its own show in the late 90s, I think, with Bill Cosby.

Very cool that Mr. Linkletter is in storage!

Originally Posted by Storman

There is a former football player that is in the business, I can't quite remember his name right now. He owns or owned a chain that has a facility near me....uh...um....dang I can't remember.

Ok, so I just used the YP for the first time in about a year to get the name of the facility.... and after a little Googling, it's Lance Alworth, former wide receiver.

" Lance Alworth had already gone bankrupt. By 1972 his 11-year pro football career (and primary source of income) was ending, a series of investments had failed, and he needed to do something quickly. "I was in Dallas, and I drove past a building with a lot of doors," Alworth says. The building was a self-storage facility (a new idea at the time), and Alworth returned home to San Diego intent on building his own. When he couldn't obtain a loan—one bank officer asked, "How in the world are you going to rent 1,005 little-bitty closets?"—Glenn Gregory, a friend Alworth had made while playing with the San Diego Chargers for nine seasons, lent him the money to break ground.

After years of living "hand to mouth," Alworth opened his first facility in '76. "I didn't even know what an escrow was," he says. "Glenn is the reason I'm where I am." Today Alworth, 60, is owner of All Aboard Mini Storage, which has 26 locations in California. "In our eyes," says Josie Miller, Alworth's partner for 24 years, "he's as big a star here as he was in the NFL.""

Storman this is a GREAT Story!! Thank you for sharing it!!

I like to thank that we, ourselves, are celebrities! When we call our clients, they recognize our voices and know our names - isn't that being a celebrity??

hahahhaha - man I must be tired..............