Tankar Self Storage Centre Celebrates 30 Years in Business in The Highlands
It all began in 1990 and 30 years later, this awesome family-run Mittagong business is still standing, employing locals, and providing fab storage solutions for us Highlanders.
30 years in business is nothing to sneeze at so we caught up with the team at Tankar Self Storage Centre to find out how it all began and what makes this biz tick so efficiently and effectively.
1. Turning 30 is one fab milestone—how did it all begin for Tankar Self Storage Centre?
Prior to self storage we were in the business of removals. We helped local residents pack, move and unpack into homes around the Southern Highlands, Sydney and Interstate. By necessity, we started converting the main warehouse, used for parking the moving trucks and moving supplies, into small storage units.
The demand for storage grew with many people moving to the Southern Highlands, so we sold the moving side of the business and focused on storage. Over the years we developed sites close to our original location at Lot 10 Priestley Street in the light industrial area of Mittagong.
2. We love that Tankar is family-run—who does what within the business?
Every member of our family has worked in the business. They have grown up around Tankar and would you believe every one of us now has our own self storage unit!
Our children help during their holidays. Anytime a member of our family is in the Southern Highlands they can be found working in the business. Everyone has an opinion, and many nights are spent around the dinner table talking about Tankar!
Ben manages all the construction, maintenance, and is the visionary behind the business development. Elizabeth meets with customers and performs all administrative operations, which is the backbone of the business. Kara makes storing happy by engaging with our customers and community about all things storage on social media. We also work with several local consultants to ensure the business runs smoothly.
And it’s no secret our pets are a big part of our family, so Teekay, an adopted tabby cat, and Millie, a spoilt toy poodle, are our friendly office helpers.
3. The business is always growing and looking for new opportunities. Tell us about the new extension which makes Tankar Self Storage the largest self storage business in the Highlands.
We now have four storage locations between Priestley Street and Cavendish Street in Mittagong.
Lot 2 Priestley Street, has been expanded with an additional 160 storage units, which is a mix of extra small to extra large size units. The larger spaces can be rented month to month which makes them highly desirable as commercial spaces without being locked into long-term lease agreements. The expansion means we can meet the increased demand we’re seeing for extra personal and business storage in the Highlands.
4. What do clients use Tankar Self Storage for, and how do your storage solutions help customers manage their own lives, businesses, collections and homes?
There are three types of storage we offer – household, business and car storage. It gives people the freedom to sort and declutter when they are downsizing and transitioning in life, such as from their family home into a retirement setting, when they are selling their home and styling it for sale, or to gain space in their business to store inventory, equipment or supplies.
We are lucky to have met some lovely people and business owners throughout the years, like the performers from The Wiggles when we stored their colourful theatrical sets and props.
We have a customer who has been storing their childhood mementoes with us since we first opened, another customer loves clothes and keeps a seasonal wardrobe with us, upgrading the size of their storage unit every couple of years. We have stored an array of wonderful things in the past, from vintage and prestige cars, to haute couture wedding dresses, event decorations, hundreds of antique books, a collection of typewriters and old printing presses.
What people store is private and secure, as they hold the key, but we get to know our long-term customers and what they store.
5. Why is Tankar Self Storage so darn good and still expanding 30 years after kick-off?
The way our storage is constructed is a big differentiator. Designed for the Southern Highlands weather, all Tankar Self Storage units are built from concrete masonry with individual concrete floors and insulated ceilings. We constructed them with the same materials you would use to build a house. They literally are like a fort! You can tap on the walls and hear nothing. Unlike tin cladded storage units, they don’t heat up during the summer or get cold in the winter months. It is reassuring to know that the way you store your things is the way you will find them when you open the roller door.
Another plus is every unit is on ground level with direct drive-up access. That makes it super easy to park and unload into storage even for the novice mover.
The feedback from our customers is the strength of our reputation as a trusted local source for self storage. We can offer highly competitive rates because we own and operate the facility.
Living locally we are always close by and are available to meet customers out of normal business hours or by appointment.
6. What do you love about running a business in the Southern Highlands?
We have had a long connection with the Southern Highlands. We enjoy meeting new people and helping them live simpler with storage space. Self storage is a lifestyle choice after all!
We experience what the beautiful Southern Highlands has to offer and love to share it with our customers. Being connected with the local community and supporting local business, also means hearing their stories. Seeing our customers grow with their families, or in a new phase of their life, and return to store with us is the best compliment.
It’s all connected – as a service focused business we refer other quality service providers in the area, like real estate agents, decorators, movers and property stylists - to help our customers.
So awesome, right? Thanks Tankar Self Storage team for helping us Highlanders for so many years – here’s to 30 more!
This post originally appeared on The Fold Southern Highlands, and runs here with full permission and consent.
