On the outskirts of the peaceful town of Schertz, Texas, is a storage facility that gently blends in with its surroundings, truly a gem hidden in plain sight. Of course we’re talking about the Lockaway Storage in Schertz, Texas! Customers come not only from the city of Schertz to enjoy all that the facility has to offer, but also surrounding areas including Northcliffe, Bracken, Live Oak, Marion, Santa Clara, and the greater San Antonio metro area. Our facility is located on the east corner of John E. Peterson Boulevard (a.k.a. FM 75) and Roy Richard Drive which is only an eight minute drive from I-35 or the Charles West Anderson Loop. Many individuals, families, and business owners of Schertz take advantage of the opportunity to store here, however we also have a healthy population of students and military members as well. Self storage is a great way for students of any age to add flexibility and certainty to their ever-changing lives. The same goes for our military members who rely on us to keep their items safe and sound whether they are training at one of the bases in San Antonio or away on deployment. If you are the proud owner of a luxury vehicle such as an RV, boat, or exotic car, we can store them too! This facility is the perfect place for any budget to keep your vehicle safe and in tip-top shape when not in use. Vehicle storage is one of the many fantastic amenities we offer including climate controlled units, 24-hour security cameras, and drive-up units. Interested in finding out about all of our features and benefits? Then keep reading!

Self Storage on Roy Richard Drive

Residents and business owners love the location of this facility! The surrounding neighborhoods, shops, and restaurants all make this area an incredibly convenient area to be situated. Arlan’s Market and the Dollar General is only a 3 minute drive from the facility, making it the perfect place to grab some groceries after you drop off some items at your self storage unit. Along John E. Peterson Boulevard right in front of the facility is a ton of convenient stops including Schertz Plaza, Christian Brothers Automotive, Promptu Immediate Care Schertz, and a slew of recognizable chain restaurants. If you have little ones in tow while you stop by your self storage unit, you can take a short five minute drive east on FM 78 to Niemietz Park and let them burn some energy on the large colorful playground there! Just around the corner from this park is Crescent Bend Nature Park, where you will enjoy the serene and open spaces as much as the kids will! While you could bring a frisbee or football to throw around the park here, packing a lunch and a pair of binoculars could score you the chance to view rare species such as the Ruddy Ground-Dove! With so many amenities and attractions in the area, customers of the Lockaway Storage here on FM 78

Military Self Storage

Many people move to the San Antonio area because of PCS orders or military training. If you’re one of them, having a self storage unit is a great way to quickly acclimate to your new surroundings while being prepared for whatever lies ahead. Having a plan for your belongings should you be called away for deployment will not only give you peace of mind, but also your family. On the lighter side of things, we know that once payday rolls around you should be able to buy the fun things you want to without worrying if you’ll have somewhere to store it! Motorcycles, jet-skis, luxury vehicles...you name it, we can store it. We are conveniently located six minutes northeast of Randolph Air Force Base, which is part of Joint Base San Antonio alongside Fort Sam Houston and Lackland Air Force.

As a thank you for the service of the brave men and women in the Military, all Lockaway Storage facilities offer a 10% discount for all active and reserve members of the United States Armed Forces. Make sure to mention this discount when you speak with your facility manager. Some restrictions may apply. Speak with a manager for details. The self storage professionals at our facility are always eager to help the brave men and women who defend our country with all of their self storage needs. So don’t hold back. You can be prepared for anything and get the things you deserve for your service knowing that you have clean, safe place to store it here at Lockaway Storage on FM 75.

Student Self Storage

They say a student’s work is never done, right? At least until they obtain the degree they are working toward! If you’re a student, you know the importance of staying focused on the end goal and doing what it takes to make it happen. However, can you really be fully invested in your studies if you’re constantly worried about your belongings? Dorm or apartment life may make keeping all of your things under one roof a hassle. But instead of selling or giving away the things that make you happy, why not use our facility to safely keep all those items until you are ready to use them? Sure, you could store some things at your parents or relatives house, but you may come home to find that your belongings have been donated or handed down to your younger sibling!

Living in smaller quarters with roommates also makes things difficult. Keeping valuables safe in a secure location away from roommates or curious friends eliminates the risk of theft that many students face when living in a group situation. It also becomes the ultimate convenience when it’s time to move home for the summer. Instead of hauling your furniture, appliances, seasonal clothing, and school supplies all the way home, why not store it close to your school where it will be ready for you when you come back for the semester? We are only 11 minutes by car from the Northeast Lakeview College campus, and close by to many other 4-year and 2-year colleges in the greater San Antonio area. So whether you are getting ready to start your first semester or planning your move for summer break, you can rely on Lockaway Storage on FM 75 to take care of all your storage needs!

Boat and RV Storage/Parking

If you spend your days dreaming of life on the open road, long days on the lake, or making memories with friends an family in the great outdoors, why not make those dreams a reality? If it is because you lack the space to keep the luxury vehicle of your dreams properly stored, it’s time to think about self storage! At Lockaway Self Storage on FM 75 we want to help make your dreams a reality by giving you plenty of self storage options to fit your needs and budget. We have rows of spots available in our completely gated and secured parking lot where you can park your trailer, boat, RV or anything else on wheels for as long as you need to. We also have a number of spots available in our covered parking facility for added protection from the elements.

Think you may need to have your vehicle stored with the most protection from the elements possible? Then we welcome you to rent one of our self storage units that can be as large as 10’ x 25’. Doing so will ensure that any exposed interiors, beautiful paint jobs, or sensitive parts are kept well insulated from anything that may harm it in the outside world. This is optimum for luxury vehicle owners that want little to worry about when retrieving their vehicle for a weekend of fun!

Amenities

Customers love taking advantage of all the amenities that this well kept facility has to offer. Our wide selection of self storage unit sizes range from 5’ x 5’ to 10’ x 25’ all located on the ground floor. While some units can be accessed via an interior hallway, others are drive-up accesible and all of the units have easy roll-up doors. If you are interested in open air parking for your vehicle or trailer, there are many oversized parking spaces here as well as a canopy covered parking spaces. We are able to keep our facility easily accessible in part due to our fantastic security features including a fully fenced perimeter, electronic gate access, unique access code entry, and bright LED lights inside and out of the self storage units. Customers can pay bills or rent online, by phone, or at the facility during the office hours. They can also access their units easily with our extended access hours that go from 6:00 a.m to 10:00 p.m.

We do our best to make sure that everything about our facility is convenient. For that reason, we offer a few extra perks including a retail area and moving truck rentals! The retail area is perfect for anyone who may need some last minute moving supplies on site, or buying all the boxes, packing tape, mattress bags or other packing supplies they may need for an entire move! Our moving truck rentals on-site are also a great way to make Lockaway Storage in Schertz, Texas on FM 75 truly a one-stop shop for all of your moving needs.

Past Blog Posts

Happy 1-Year Anniversary to Austin Sanchez!

Here at Lockaway Storage, we know our success is due to our wonderful team. The care they give our renters is unparalleled and we want to highlight their milestones along the way. Below is an interview with San Antonio team member Austin Sanchez who is celebrating his 1-year anniversary with Lockaway Storage this week.  All interviews are performed by Peter Soto.

You can find Austin at Lockaway Storage – 3009 & FM 78.

Peter: Why did you start working in self storage?

Austin: I’ve known Big Henry for over 13 years. We ran into each other at a pet store after 2 years of lost contact. That day we set up a time to meet up and have lunch because I asked him to be my boxing coach as he used to be a boxer. He spoke nothing about fighting but only about how great of a company Lockaway Storage was. At first, the job sounded too good to be true due to my experience with past jobs that said the same about their company. I was at a point in my life financially that I had nothing to lose so I applied for the job and I was hired. The best decision I’ve ever made!

Peter: What’s the best thing you’ve learned while working for Lockaway Storage?

Austin: The best thing I’ve learned working with Lockaway Storage is that Culture is everything. Lockaway Storage is all about culture in being not only team members but family. When we have company meetings or after hours gatherings I look forward to these events because I can talk with everybody in the company, learn new ways of making myself better as a manager, and just having fun enjoying everybody’s presence.

Austin Sanchez, assistant manager at Lockaway Storage in San Antonio.

Peter: What is your favorite self storage story?

Austin: To truthfully answer this question, there are too many stories that need to be heard. My favorite story of them all happened recently a couple weeks ago. A customer had lost 4 family members in the same month. He came to the office where he spoke with Big Henry. The customer was depressed and wanted to give Big Henry his trailer for free and did not want a dollar out of it just wanted to get rid of it. Big Henry told the customer NO that we had an Auction in a few days that we would auction the trailer in hopes of getting the customer some type of profit to help him out. Auction day came and the customer showed up, the trailer sold in the auction for $800. The customer was in such disbelief how much that money helped him out. The look on the customers face was priceless and that is why I love this job. It’s not about just storing items and that’s it, it’s about helping the customers make their day easier and better.

Peter: What are your hobbies when you aren’t at your facility?

Austin: My hobbies outside of work are working on my vehicles and Mixed Martial Arts. I’m a truck kind of guy so I love to upgrade my vehicles with aftermarket parts to make my vehicles stand out above the rest. On my trucks I’ve had before I’ve added lift kits, big mudding tires, custom rims, custom bumpers and many more upgrades. As for my other hobby, I love to compete whether it’s Boxing, Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling, Freestyle and Greco wrestling etc. In high school, I wrestled for Madison High School and was known across Texas and Oklahoma. I was a 4 year varsity captain. I lead my team to two (2) District titles in 2012 and 2013 which were the only titles in my schools wrestling history still to this day. I have a goal to soon be stepping into the cage as a professional and to be the first fighter out of San Antonio to be Top 10 in the world. The journey will be long and tough but with the help of Big Henry with my stand up and Marc Gaudet with my ground game that goal will be accomplished in a few years.

View from the front gate of Lockaway Storage at 3009 & FM 78.

Peter: What’s your favorite thing to do in San Antonio?

Austin: My favorite things to do around San Antonio is just go out and enjoy life whether it’s taking a trip to Six Flags. Seaworld, or just a stroll in the park with my fiancé Alexis Byrd, our daughter and our bulldog.

Peter: What’s your favorite restaurant in San Antonio?

Austin: My favorite restaurant in San Antonio has to be Logan’s Roadhouse. Their steaks are the best I’ve ever had in my opinion.

Peter: Would you like to give a shout-out to anybody?

Austin: I would like to give a shout-out to Don Clauson and the rest of the SPMI team! I just want to say thank you all for allowing me to be part of such an amazing family and providing the skills for me to become a better manager. When I show up to work, it’s never work just another day in paradise!

Happy 1-Year Anniversary to Patrick Galvan

Here at Lockaway Storage, we know our success is due to our wonderful team. The care they give our renters is unparalleled and we want to highlight their milestones along the way. Below is an interview with San Antonio team member Patrick Galvan, who is celebrating his 1-year anniversary with Lockaway Storage this week.

Patrick is an assistant manager of Lockaway Storage –3009.

Patrick Galvan is the assistant manager at Lockaway Storage – 3009 in Schertz, TX.

Peter: Did I see that this is your 1-year anniversary?

Patrick: Yes sir. This July 12th will is my first year.

Peter: Congratulations, that is awesome.

Patrick: Thank you, sir.

Peter: How did you get started with Lockaway?

Patrick: I used to work for another company, so when they bought us out I was working over there by the SeaWorld area and I live right here at Wincrest and I just happened to ask if there was anything a little bit closer to my house and they said yeah, so they brought me over here and I’ve been here since.

Peter: After a year in self storage, is it what you thought it was going to be? Were there any moments that kind of surprised you about it?

Patrick: No, I’ve been working in self storage for over ten years. I worked for another company before this job and I learned the ins and outs of storage. Working with this company here, I feel free they give you the range to go the way you want with it and they’re here to help you out any way they can. Again, not bashing any other company, but they were more corporate. Here I feel like family, friends, just everybody jumps in quick to help you. I feel really comfortable here. It’s a fun job. When I come into work every day, I’m not thinking, “Oh, man. I have to go into work again.” Here there is always something new, exciting, and fun every day.

Peter: That is so important, especially for a place where you’re spending so much time.

Patrick: Yes, sir. I work here five days a week. I don’t go anywhere else unless Amy calls me or someone else calls me for help. At the end of the day it’s a team.

Peter: I’ve heard that the team aspect is one of the things a lot of people enjoy. Did you say you live in the area?

Patrick: I live in Wincrest.

Peter: That’s right, so I’m not really familiar with that area. Is that in San Antonio?

Patrick: No, it’s like a little suburb of San Antonio. We have our own Mayor. We have our own laws. It’s more like a suburb of San Antonio.

Peter: Do you have to commute?

Patrick: Oh, on a good day, it’s a ten minute drive. It’s a lot better than before. I used to drive for an hour each way.

Peter: That is much better for the quality of life for sure.

Patrick: Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

Lockaway Storage – 3009’s front drive in Schertz, TX.

Peter: So is there anything unique about your facility?

Patrick: One thing we try to emphasize here is cleanliness and customer service. We’ll go above and beyond to help you out. You know, either to help you move a trailer, back up a trailer. We’re out there if you need help picking a box up. We’re glad to help you out to make your life easier. At the end of the day, we want you to be a happy customer.    

Peter: For sure. Can you think of a specific time when you went above and beyond for a customer?

Patrick: Oh yeah, back when I worked for that other company, there was a woman who was going through auction. She came in crying. Unfortunately I had to tell her that we tried so much and tried to work with her as much as we could, but we ended up having to auction her unit, but I talked to the person who bought it, and I asked him to leave some of her more personal things behind. He was more than happy to give me her baby stuff, clothes, paperwork, all that stuff, so he left it. I ended up calling that lady up and I said, “Come back down here and let me talk to you.” and she came back and when I gave her stuff back to her she just started crying. She hugged me and said that all of this was irreplaceable. We’re not really supposed to talk to the auction people, but I felt him out and he was happy to leave that stuff behind. She was happy enough to cry. I wished her the best. That made me feel like I went above and beyond to make her feel better. At the end of the day, if that was me and if that was my personal stuff, that would hurt a lot. That made me really proud to be an employee. I haven’t had anything like that here yet, because we work with all of our customers. But the feeling of her being happy makes me feel… I love my job, you know? I could go home. I could look at my kids. I knew I did a good deed that day.

Peter: Yeah, that kind of humanity is so important especially in self storage, because you’re dealing with people’s stuff. I’d like to ask you a little about yourself now. Do you have any hobbies that the people at Lockaway Storage may not know about?

Patrick: I used to play darts. I used to go around the country and play darts in different cities. I made it all the way to Chicago, to the world championship, one time. It was back in 2006. That’s when I was really heavily out playing like 6 days a week. It was the world tournament, so I didn’t place. If I would have won one more time, I would have placed top 8 in the world. Again, that’s when I started at 10 in the morning and finished at 12 at night. I was crazy, so, yeah, ever since I had my kids I’m more of a family man and parent now. I just stay home. I don’t really go out. To me, a great day is just staying home with my kids watching TV. I’m happy with that now. I’ve done a lot of fun stuff back in the past, but now it’s time to be a grown up. When I hear my kids laughing, I don’t miss the bar scene. The going out scene. Hanging out. I’d rather go to Chucky Cheese and that would be the best day ever.

Parking in Schertz, TX is easy at Lockaway Storage – 3009. We have wide lanes and a variety of sizes to fit your needs.

Peter: Hanging out with the kids. Helping them grow up, watching them grow up. That’s the most important thing for sure.

Patrick: Yeah, especially because I told them once they move out they aren’t coming back, hahahaha.

Peter: Hahahaha, yep.

Patrick: But, yeah, I’m more family now. I love my wife and kids. That’s why I come to work every day trying to make myself better and better and make their lives easier.

Peter: For sure. Tell me a little about your family.

Patrick: Yeah, we have two boys. We’ve been together for over ten years. She had a previous son. He’s 14, but I stepped up and said, “I know I’m not your real father by blood, but I’ll go to war for you if I have to.”

Peter: That’s being a real man.

Patrick: I call him my son. I don’t even put Stepdad in front of it. I say, “That’s my boy right there.”My two boys are the world. My wife is the world. Whatever I do is for them basically.

Peter: I love that, man. I’m really family oriented too, so I love hearing that.

Patrick: Thank you, sir.

Peter: Have you lived in the San Antonio are your whole life?

Patrick: I’ve been here about fifteen years. After my dad finished high school, he met my mom on the west coast and my dad wanted to live close to his parents, so they moved back to San Antonio. I like being here. Back there was overcrowded, too packed. The prices were high. I love it here in San Antonio. The thing is, I’m a Laker fan to the death and people out here, they’re pretty hardcore Spurs fans. I don’t like them, but at the end of the day I respect the Spurs. That’s the only thing I don’t like about San Antonio is the Spurs.

Peter: If the Lakers play the Spurs, do you wear some Lakers gear into the office?

Patrick: Not lately, because we haven’t had a really good season lately. Usually when I go around town I’ll wear it, but people just look at me like, oh, you know. I respect your team, respect my team at the end of the day it’s for fun. I don’t wear it too much, because I don’t want people talking bad to me like that. Overall I love San Antonio. My wife, she works downtown for the horse carriage rides downtown. Every now and then, me and the boys will go down and ride the carriages downtown. I’ve been there a million times, but it’s fun to do every once in awhile with the kids.

Peter: And you’re making all those memories. Like you said earlier, once they leave, they aren’t coming back.

Patrick: Hahaha, yes sir.

Drive up access makes storing with Lockaway Storage in Schertz, TX easy and convenient.

Peter: Are there any restaurants in the San Antonio area that you really like?

Patrick: Usually our favorite restaurant is Wingstop. My wife loves Wingstop. If we’re going somewhere and we’re hungry, we tear up Wingstop pretty good.

Peter: Me too.

Patrick: Any Mexican restaurant around here. Any real Mexican restaurant. I don’t really care for Taco Cabana and all that. It’s like fake Mexican food. I like real Mexican food.

Peter: Where’s a good place to find real Mexican food in San Antonio?

Patrick: There’s a little place we go to. It’s called Acapulcos. It’s on Pat Booker. We go there every Sunday with her family. Sundays are breakfast. Every Sunday. It’s really good. I like it. If you’re not there by 10 a.m., it’s not going to be good on space, so it’s better to get there early. It’s a little hole in the wall, but it’s great.

Peter: Hole in the walls are normally the best. At the end I like to ask if there is anyone at Lockaway Storage that you would like to give a shout out to?

Patrick: I would love to give a shout out to Amy and Henry. They are so easy to work with. Any time I need something, they are there, especially Amy. A while back I had some family problems and I had to take care of that and any time I asked them to leave early, they were always able to let me go, like 30 minutes early. It’s so easy to come to work knowing that they have my back and i have their back. Amy told me, “Hey, man, go. Family first. Whatever you need.” I love the fact that Amy and Henry are so flexible with me that it’s never a problem. They always help me out and it makes me feel like they really care. It’s very family oriented. I’m so proud and happy to work here too.

Self Storage Milestone: Happy 1-Year Anniversary to Corey Harvey!

Here at Lockaway Storage, we know our success is due to our wonderful team. The care they give our renters is unparalleled and we want to highlight their milestones along the way. Below is an interview with San Antonio, TX team member Corey Harvey, who is celebrating his 1-year anniversary with Lockaway Storage.

Corey Harvey is an assistant manager at Lockaway Storage – 3009 & FM 78

You can meet Corey at Lockaway Storage at 3009 & FM 78 in San Antonio.

Colby:  How long have you been with Lockaway Storage?

Corey:  Just finishing my first year.

Colby:  Congrats!  What was it about Lockaway Storage that made you apply?

Corey:  It was for a different experience.  I was trying something different. I’ve always been in retail and I’ve been in management before for 11 years now, so I wanted something different.  I actually really like it and enjoy doing it.

Colby:  What’s the biggest takeaway you’ve learned about the industry?

Corey:  Honestly, this is the best company I’ve ever worked for.  It’s a company that actually trains you and is really hands-on with everything.  It’s one of the best companies I’ve worked for as far the training experience and they make you feel like family and they actually care about the people that work for them.

Colby:  That’s huge.  There’s not a lot of places like that nowadays.

Corey:  Not at all.

“I have really enjoyed working with Corey. He is super positive and open to coaching. He takes pride in his store and is a such a nice guy. He makes keeping his facility clean a top priority. When you go to his facility, it always smells great! No matter if it is a pleasant smelling candle burning or if he just mopped the floor. He creates a really inviting atmosphere for his customers.”

Amy Medrano, Lockaway Storage District Manager in San Antonio

Colby:  What’s your favorite story from the last year?

Corey:  One day a customer called me and they saw a ball python or something like that, a really big snake that was loose.  They called me to try and help catch it. I had to call someone else, because I didn’t want to go anywhere near it.

Colby:  I wouldn’t want to go anywhere near a snake either if I didn’t know exactly what it was.

Corey:  It was really big!

Colby:  That’s a quick way to go to the hospital unexpectedly!  Well, outside of storage, what are your hobbies when you’re not at work?

Corey:  I’m also a licensed cosmetologist, I do hair on the side.  I’m also a full time student so I don’t have time to do much else besides spending time with the family.

Colby:  Where are you going to school?

Corey:  I’m taking online classes at Grand Canyon University.

Colby:  Right on.  You said you did hair, so do you have any specialties?  Men? Women? Certain styles?

Corey:  Mostly women.  I can do about any style. It just depends on what they want.

Colby:  You have a diverse set of interests!

Corey:  I just like to be a jack of all trades.  I like to always have something to fall back on.

“He is one of the most coachable managers I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Because he was so open and willing to make changes to his management style, I wanted him on my team. He was a sponge in terms of learning new and different ways to do things and his smile is fantastic!”

Henry Medrano, Lockaway Storage District Manager in San Antonio

Colby:  I’m not super familiar with San Antonio, what are some of your favorite things to do around town?

Corey:  If I have time, I like bowling or going out to eat or to the movies.  I also like to go downtown and ride the little boat and walk around the mall.

Colby:  Favorite restaurant?

Corey:  I would probably say it would be a tie between 54th Street and Cheesecake Factory.

Colby:  Is 54th Street a local place?

Corey:  Yes, I think they have 2-3 around the area.

Colby:  Is there anybody you’d like to give a shout out to in thanks for helping you get through the first year of a new industry?

Corey:  I would say Don, Amy, and Henry.  If it wasn’t for them trusting me and giving me an opportunity to show them what I can do.  I really appreciate everything they’ve done for me.

Self Storage Milestone: Happy 2-Year Anniversary to Austin Sanchez!

Here at Lockaway Storage, we know our success is due to our wonderful team. The care they give our renters is unparalleled and we want to highlight their milestones along the way. Below is an interview with San Antonio, TX team member Austin Sanchez, who is celebrating his 2-year anniversary with Lockaway Storage.

Austin Sanchez and his girlfriend, Alexis, just welcomed their second baby.

You can meet Austin at Lockaway Storage on 200 Roy Richards Road in San Antonio.

Peter: Last year we talked and it was your first anniversary. How’s it going with year number two?

Austin: It’s definitely been more interesting than the first year. The first year I was really learning the ropes,. For one, I’ve never been in a management position. And two, I’d never worked in self storage before.

When I first started was when we first opened the doors. Learning the ins and outs of the previous company then converting a store from one company to ours. The time it took and all of the blood, sweat, and sometimes tears.

Learning the ropes was the first year and the second year was setting a goal for myself as far as what I wanted to do in the company. I knew I wanted to stay with the company, and I had no other plans of going anywhere else. I know at my other jobs, I was always looking, like, ‘I can’t wait til I leave.’

At this job, I don’t know where I’d go if I left. I wanted to figure out something that I wanted to do. Another personal goal of mine was that I wanted to become a store manager for my second year anniversary. I can’t remember the exact date, but it was toward the end of the year that I was promoted. Really it was just going towards the goal, learning how to be a better manager, learning how to train. All the necessary things to do to become a great store manager.

Peter: So what do you feel like you did to improve to eventually get promoted to manager? What were some steps you actively took?

Austin: The main step was mainly taking initiative. Especially Henry was a big help. With him being so busy, he needed help as far as facility manager duties. So obviously I willingly volunteered, like, “Hey, just show me how to do it real quick! And I’ll catch on.”

It was really just taking matters into my own hands. Trying to figure out how to do certain things. How to do a lot of the facility manager stuff. Even though technically I wasn’t getting paid for it, I was only assistant facility manager. The biggest thing really was taking initiative and really just learning it myself. Then, when the time did come, I wasn’t playing a game of catch-up learning how to do everything.

The secondary thing was really our store and how great we do with our numbers. Back then, I had learned how to hit the budgets or get close to them. There are certain factors that are important. But the primary thing was doing facility manager work and learning how to do it beforehand.

“Austin is a super, super self storage manager. His heart is in the right place and he wants the company to do well. He’s a good guy. He has become very, very informed when it comes to sales and customer service techniques. He’s really learned a lot about leadership, how not to get the most out of himself, but the most out of his teammates.”

Marc Gaudet, UNITS San Antonio Team Lead

Peter: Yeah, that is so important, and it sounds like you’re developing some really great business skills as well.

Austin: Oh yeah, definitely because before I really didn’t know how to run my own business and running your own store is like running your own business. Which actually goes great into the whole new scheme that Travis is wanting us to do, which is “run it like you own it”.

Of course I want to be able to provide great customer service and all that. The biggest things that I do believe in, which not necessarily everybody does, because everyone has their own perspective on it, I still believe that I can provide great customer service at the best price. When I say the best price, I obviously mean at the highest price I can without being too ridiculous. But having a fair, but firm, price.

That’s really the main thing i’ve learned over the last two years. I’ve learned how to provide great customer service while still getting the rates that we need to hit the numbers.

Peter: For sure. Yeah, I mean it’s such a fine line between maximizing things for the business and also looking out for the renter and making sure that all their needs are taken care of. It’s a fine balancing act for sure.

Austin: Of course. Yeah, the one thing I have learned is that you probably have 90-95% of the customers, a lot of them they are great people, a lot of interesting stories out there, a lot of different backgrounds. It’s just those less than five percenters; those are the ones you have to watch out for. It’s still good to provide great customer service.

Peter: Over the last year, have you met anyone new, whether that be a renter or someone on the team, who is unique or would have good stories?

Austin: The thing is is that, at the store that I work in, we have over a thousand units and over 900 customer who make payments. It’s hard to remember one who really tops it off.

Peter: You’ve been in the industry now for two years, you’re getting pretty seasoned, do you have any advice for anyone who’s beginning their career in self storage property management?

Austin: At one point, I thought a big step for me was even getting a store manager position. Because of my age, I thought that would be a problem for me and thought that I wasn’t able to move up until I got a little bit older and everything and I was able to prove that wrong.

As far as advice for them, the main thing is be loyal. Go a little bit further than the average person will. Me and Henry call them HLO’s, high-level operators. Going 110% or 120%, I think if you can do that, stay loyal with the company, and show initiative and love for the company, you’re definitely going to go a long way.

You gotta be patient about it and eventually it will work out.

“I’ve known Austin since before he was 10 years old. I grew up with his father, we’re talking about since elementary school, so about 30 years. I’ve watched Austin grow and I’ve known that there’s something special about him. You could tell he was different from everybody else. I lost contact with him for maybe two years and I ended up coming back to San Antonio and ran into him. He was training MMA and thinking about that as a career. I didn’t want to discourage him, but I wanted him to have more of a plan, so I told him about Lockaway Storage. To be honest, there were some challenges Austin had in the beginning. The big thing he did have is that he is tenacious. He doesn’t mind putting himself out there, even if he was going to embarrass himself, because he wants to learn. One thing I love about Austin is that he is loyal. He is all about the company. He sees himself here for the next ten years moving up in the company. I am very proud of him. Watching him grow from a little kid and what he’s gone through is just unbelievable. He had it rough and to see him mature into the man he is today with his new family, I’m pretty proud of him.”

Henry Medrano, Lockaway Storage District Manager

Peter: Great answer. So, you’ve lived in the San Antonio area for a good bit now. Lots of people are moving there.

Austin: I’ve lived inside of 1604 on the north east side since I’ve gotten the job here. I can’t even think about having to leave! It’s such a great area over here. It’s really booming, so you’re getting a lot of traffic. The people here are really nice and there are a lot of restaurants coming up.

There’s only one negative thing I have to say and that is sometimes the drivers can be a little bit crazy. Other than that, it’s a really great place. The houses, the pools are really nice and it’s just a really great area. Everyone is wanting to move north because it is nicer. I think that’s the reason why it’s booming over here.

Peter: I didn’t realize how San Antonio was spreading out.

Austin: I think that helps with storage. I know parking is going crazy right now. We have 400 parking spaces and we’re down to like 12 or 15 vacancies. They don’t let you just park a trailer in your yard, so that’s why they need us for that storage space.

Peter: I don’t want to just talk about storage, because you’re not always at work. What hobbies do you have? Are you still doing MMA?

Austin: Last year I wanted to. I’ll still probably train a little, but I’ll be honest, I was younger then. I wasn’t quite as stable last year. I was just figuring out how to have a good job and I thought fighting might be what I’d do. But now that I’ve been here at Lockaway Storage and where I know I can go in the future here, I just don’t want to fight anymore.

I did a lot fighting growing up on the south side of town. You just had to fight to survive. But now that I’m living a life, I don’t have to fight anymore. Life is good. I have friends that enjoy it like Henry and Marc Gaudet. We get the fights on pay-per-view. We talk about and enjoy watching the fights together.

Now with my second child being born, I won’t have time to train every day. I may still pursue it, but I found a job where I don’t have to do that.

Peter: Tell me about the recent happenings with your family?

Austin: I have my beautiful daughter Avyona who is 15 months. It’s going by so fast! People told me it would, but it’s going really fast. I’m helping my mom buy her first house, which is great because of all the things she’s done for me since I was born. She’d always help me. Even if she needed to loan me her last $200, she’d do it without question.

I helped her get her first car and now her first house. My fiance’s family is big and her brothers and sisters seem like they’re all having babies now. We may have started a baby train!

Peter: Congrats on all that! Having the second child, helping your mom. Respect to you for that!

Austin: I’m a family man. I love to take care of my family. I don’t like to have fun by myself, so if I can have fun and make people happy while I’m at it, that’s just the kind of guy I am. I’m taking the whole family out to the lake with my boat. I’m hoping to buy a second boat at some point. A pontoon boat.

Peter: What lake do you like to go to?

Austin: I go to Canyon Lake. I just go there for fun. If I was fishing, I’d go to Calaveares. We took the boat out the other weekend and it was really windy and the waves were really big. Got water inside the boat. It got my wife all wet. When it starts getting warmer I’m taking friends and family out there more.

Peter: Sounds like life is good!

Austin: Yeah I can’t ask for anything else right now. Well… I could ask for another truck, but I’ll get that eventually!

Peter: Is there anybody you’d like to give a shout out to on the Lockaway Storage team?

Austin: Yeah, to be honest, Henry. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have met Don. He’s been the backbone to the success I’ve had. He’s the biggest one. But I’d like to thank Don and Travis too for believing in me, even though I’m so young. It shows that they care and they trust in my abilities and what I’ve learned.