Biz Buzz

     Oswego Self Storage has only been open for two years, yet it has already seen one necessary expansion and is now looking to grow again.

     Owners Ben and Karen Kaye, of Oswego, said the newest expansion will not only include more storage units, but will be climate-controlled ones as well.
     "Our goal is to be the premier storage facility in Oswego," Ben Kaye said. "We want to be able to offer our customers the greatest amount of services while at the same time maintain our competitive rates."
     Currently, the facility has 12,300 feet of storage space with approximately 112 units in four different sizes and is fully illuminated with LED lighting. The expansion, which is set to begin this month will also include upgrades, such as paving the entire facility and keypad entry.
     "The new climate-controlled building will also include an office as well as a small retail store that will sell moving-related supplies, like boxes, moving blankets, packing paper and tape," Kaye added.
     The temperature in the units will be maintained between 60 and 80 degrees depending on the season, which he said is ideal for storing more valuable items, such as comic books, books, artwork, CDs and important documents.
     "They are also very popular with pharmaceutical reps," Kaye noted.
     Construction on the new building, which will add 7,500 square feet and approximately 60 units, should be completed in August of 2013.
     Kaye, who is originally from the Buffalo area, said he met his wife, Karen, from Long Island, when they were both attending the University of Buffalo. They moved to Oswego when he accepted a position at the Nine Mile Point nuclear facility and have been here ever since. He still works full-time, but said he thought opening a storage facility was definitely filling a need in Oswego. And he was proven right.
     "I thought it would be a good business and it looked as if there was a need for it," Kaye said. "We opened about two years ago and we had two buildings. I had people asking to use space before the first building was even completed."
     He said he had a waiting list of people, very quickly filling the new units up.
     "Within a year, we had to turn people away," Kaye pointed out.
     As a result, the Kayes expanded in the summer of 2012, growing from 6,000 square feet to 12,300 square feet.
     "I still have some of those units available, but now we are expanding the scope of our business to include the climate-controlled units."
     Kaye said the lease is month-to-month and there is no minimum stay.
     Another service Oswego Self Storage offers is helping the client to calculate what size unit they need.
     "You can visit our 'choose the right unit' page to help you determine the right size unit for your needs or our staff can help in determining the right size unit," he said. "Just give us a brief description of what will be stored and we'll help you determine how much space is needed."
     Oswego Self Storage is conveniently located at 121 George St., less than a ¼ mile from state Route 104 East.
     For more information, call 341-8905 or visit the web site at http://www.oswegoselfstorage.net/.