Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, Storage Tips, Update from the Stores

Today is National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, which is observed annually on December 7, is to remember and honor all those who died in the attach on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is also referred to as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day or Pearl Harbor Day. It is a tradition to fly the Flag of the United States at half-staff until sunset in honor of dead patriots.

On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941 America's naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by the forces of the Empire of Japan. More than 2,400 Americans were killed and more than 1,100 were wounded. The attack sank four U.S. Navy Battleships and damaged four more. It also damaged or sank three cruisers, three destroyers, one mine layer and damaged 188 aircraft. 

The day after the attack, the United States declared war on Japan and entered World War II. President Franklin Roosevelt, in a speech to Congress, stated that the bombing of Pearl Harbor is "a date which will live in infamy".

The employees and managers at Southeast Management honor the memory of those who served on that terrible and those who served before them, after them and continue to do so today.  We thank you for your service and allowing us to live our lives in peace and safety.
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Climate Controlled or Not?

Severe hot or cold weather can damage items stored in storage units. Important documentation for your home or business, computer equipment and electronics, wood or leather furniture, photographs, books, clothing, artwork and other valuable possessions can be destroyed if not properly protected. If you live or work in a geographic area with these weather conditions, climate-controlled storage units provide the ideal solution for storing your personal or business-related items.

Climate control maintains a steady temperature of 55–80° using central air conditioning and heat. Maintaining a controlled environment minimizes risk of:

• Warping, cracking and splitting
• Rust, yellowing and corrosion
• Mold, mildew and bacteria overgrowth
• Infestation of wasps, mice, termites and other vermin

Climate-controlled storage units are typically part of a finished building with indirect heating and cooling (compared to air conditioners or heaters within individual units). The enclosed environment of these buildings can also provide increased protection from dust, dirt and flooding. 

How to Choose a Climate-Controlled Space
Follow these three steps to determine whether climate control is an appropriate investment for your needs:
Step 1: Consider Your Geographic Area
As a general rule, the temperature in climate-controlled storage units should not fall below freezing in the winter, or rise above 90°F (32°C) in the summer. If the geographic area where you live or work exceeds 90 degrees in the summer but does not freeze in the winter, air-conditioning would be a viable option to consider. Same with only extreme cold temperatures – a heated storage unit would work well. If your area experiences both extreme hot and cold temperatures, climate control may provide the best benefit.
Step 2: Consider What You Plan to Store
The following is a list of items commonly stored in Extra Space climate-controlled storage.

Home Goods Leather or wood furniture Antiques & heirlooms Clothing Furs Craft supplies Plastics Food stuffs Paintings & other fine art Photographs Musical Instruments Media such as DVDS, CDS, vinyl records, cassettes & 8-track tapes Cameras Televisions & stereos

Equipment Computers & computer parts Video equipment Audio equipment Tools & machines Restaurant equipment Construction supplies Business Items Products & supplies Software, videos, DVDs & CDs Pharmaceutical samples & medical     supplies Archival documents, tax files, & other paperwork Seasonal inventory

If you plan to frequently access your stored items as you add, remove or organize them, keep in mind your comfort when working within your storage unit. A pleasant temperature can make the job much easier.
Step 3: Consider the Value of What You Plan to Store
Climate control storage units cost more than standard units. To determine whether the cost is justified, it’s important to assess the value of what you plan to store. If you are packing away electronics, products or equipment that are covered by insurance, and replacing them would mean only an inconvenience, you may decide that a standard storage space is sufficient. If, however, you are storing items of sentimental value or historical documents for your business, the additional cost may be insignificant, especially if it gives you peace of mind. Whether your items would be costly and inconvenient to replace, or irreplaceable, if you are going to pay to store them it is wise to store them well.  

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Blue Water Self Storage - Jacksonville, FL

Holidays are in full swing around Blue Water Storage Center.  Lee Conrey and Stampin up are holding two events this month at Blue Water Storage Center. On December 2^nd Lee is having her annual Holiday extravaganza here were vendors with amazing gifts for sale and wonderful food will be had from 1 to 5 pm.  

On December the 8^th, Jacksonville Starz Stampin Up and the Arlington Civitan Club are having their local food drive and stampin' for angels charity event which helps the Salvation Army. These ladies do amazing things for the community all year long.  

Contact leeconrey@bellsouth.net or call our office for more information. We are accepting new unwrapped presents for Toys for Tots in our office until 12/15/2012. 

We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season! 

Hardscrabble - Columbia, SC

The holidays are also in full swing here in Columbia, SC. 

We are accepting new unwrapped presents for Toys for Tots in our office until 12/15/2012.

Our Holiday special is to purchase 2 months and get 1 free.  This offer expires on December 15th and there will be NO month end special this month.  Please call us to receive this special at 803-865-8535

Greetings to one and all!
 
We here at Southeast Management do hope that you are all well and in high holiday spirits.  We apologize for taking so long to update this post.  Business has been booming.  We have been busy, busy, busy!  Keeping our customers excited about our service and going out there to find new people to join our growing family has been a large and exciting part of this past year.  Here's a little snapshot from each of our facilities.  Each store manager wrote a bit about what's new, what changes have been made at their facilities and what they are excited about in the future.
 
Plantation Storage Bluffton, SC

We are heading towards the slow time of the year after an impressive spring and summer. We appreciate all of our customers and employees that contributed to our getting the facility back on track.  We are on track and still moving forward as planned.  We have added some things to accommodate our customers that they really seem to enjoy. We have a dedicated area for our customers to meet clients, do paperwork, check emails, surf the net and much more! Our customer lounge/business center has been quite a hit. We are now an authorized UPS ship center as well. We have changed the landscape here quite a bit and the customers have responded very well. We will continue to try and be as innovative as possible as well as staying on top of industry standards. Let us sign off by saying, we are very happy to be a part of this team and really look forward to the 2013 season.

Christopher John Foster
 
Plantation Storage Hardscrabble, Columbia, SC
George and Sarah at Hardscrabble have had a great year as well.  We have found new and interesting ways to keep our customers informed.  I'm sure you've gotten all of our monthly e-mails that we send again and again and again.  We just REALLY want to make sure you know what's going on here.  We've updated our landscaping.  We continue to make improvements to the facility itself.  We are ALSO looking forward to be slight change in Building 7 that should start in the new  year.  Very excited about that one.  We have a lot of great specials going on and look forward to seeing each and every new and existing customer when you come in.  Have a safe and happy holiday season.  Bring on 2013!

George and Sarah Pierce

Plantation Storage Myrtle Beach, SC

Greetings from beautiful Myrtle Beach, SC!  We are all enjoying the cooler weather and slower-pace of life now that tourist season is winding down here at the beach.  Bill and I would like to welcome our new co-worker, Sherry Estanich, who will be working with us part-time to help us continue to provide the ultimate storage experience to all of our customers.  Sherry has recently retired as the office/asst. restaurant manager at Phillips Seafood, and she and her husband moved down here from Maryland about 12 years ago.  Please come by and meet Sherry when you are in the neighborhood.

We would also like to wish all of our customers a Happy Holidays, and to remind everyone that we have a "Toys for Tots" donation box for new, unwrapped toys here in our office.  This is an excellent program operated by the Marine Corps League to help provide a Christmas to children who might otherwise not have a visit from Santa.  We also have a donation box year-round from the Lions club where you can donate your old eyeglasses and hearing aids to give the gift of sight or hearing. 

Look for the Plantation Storage truck as we roll through The Farm for their 6th Annual Holiday Parade on Sunday, December 2, from 1-4 pm.  We always enjoy participating in this annual event, handing out Christmas candy to the children, and seeing them enjoy the parade and the surprise visit from Santa.

And finally, don't forget to stop by Plantation Storage on Carolina Forest Blvd to ship your Christmas gifts by UPS this year.  We will be open from 9 am - 6 pm, Mon-Sat to take care of your shipping needs, and have all the packing supplies and boxes you will need to make sending your gifts fast and easy, while avoiding the long lines at the post office. 

Lisa, Bill, & Sherry

Plantation Storage Sparkleberry - Columbia, SC
Plantation Storage at Sparkleberry Lane has long stood shoulder to shoulder with women in the battle against breast cancer, by participating in the Palmetto Health Foundation’s annual Walk for Life.  This past October, 6,000+ walkers and runners (including our own 5-member team) helped raise over $520,000 for the Palmetto Health Breast Center.  These donations will help women in our community gain access to screening, diagnostic procedures, and other valuable support services. 

We are excited about constant physical improvements to our facility.  We are replacing items that have been gently used and installing new items to keep our in facility top of line condition.  The maintenance and security of this facility and your items is imperative to us.  In other news, we would like to congratulate Colleen Wood as she has returned as the full time manager. 

Our Annual Santa's Workshop will be up and running soon.  We will have Santa here to meet with all the kiddos on December 14th and 15th.  We also provide all the wrapping accessories needed to finish your holiday wrapping nice and early.  We are offering 50% off for the month of December on our 5x5 and 5x10 units (while supplies last).  Come in, meet Santa, wrap you presents and store them in a hiding place where no little or big people would possibly look.    

Colleen Wood and Anne Youngblood

Bluewater Self Storage - Jacksonville, FL
Greetings from Jacksonville.

Julianne has been busy learning the in and out’s of storage and busy with her U.S. Citizenship which she passed with flying colors.  Her swearing in ceremony is coming up in the next few weeks.  Julianne is working on social media for Blue Water and continues to provide excellent customer service.

Brad is happy to be back with Southeast Management Company and is getting a grasp on the Blue Water store.  Class A facilities come with a lot more maintenance issues that have to be done timely. Getting caught up on those was number one priority.  (Which we are now) yay!

Gearing up for the holiday season will be our next few months tasks here. Julianne and I will decide on what charity we would like to help with donations this year. I have always been a fan of Toys for Tots…..along with providing cookies and coffee to our customers during the holiday season! 

Brad Bumphrey
 
Depo and Dallas Self Storage - Dallas, NC
Well let's just say I am one busy bee.  Dallas Storage is undergoing some upgrades to our Residential side, and that in itself is keeping me on my toes.  Depo Self Storage is pretty laid back, with leasing results about the consistent and positive each month.  We are looking forward to a wonderful Christmas season, and hope that you all have a wonderful holiday season as well.

Angie Greene
 
The Storeroom - Durham, NC
New Manager Karen Hise has been busy as a bee at The Storeroom in Durham, NC as well.  This facility has been brought back to life with implementing gate codes for each tenant, having the facility manager on site and the office is open for business all day each week day.  Please don't hesitate to stop by and check out the facility. 

Karen Hise

Merry Christmas

From all of us at Plantation Storage, we would like to wish all of our customers a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. We truly appreciate your patronage and look forward to continue providing you with the best storage experience possible in the new year.

Merriment with a Mission

For those of us who don't live there, it's easy to think of Myrtle Beach as an affluent tourist town, where the ultra-rich enjoy frequent, leisurely strolls along the shore and luxurious evenings filled with fine dining, dancing, and other social pleasures. But Bill and Lisa Trinemeyer, managers for Plantation Storage's Myrtle Beach store, know that's not always the case. Like any other community in America, the Myrtle Beach/Carolina Forest area has pockets of poverty. Hardest hit, of course, are the children--many of whom frequently do without even the basics, such as decent clothing, food, and supplies needed for school. Though area public schools are able to provide some assistance, through the federally-funded free-and-reduced lunch program and health care assistance plans like Healthy Learners, these resources are limited. Additional support is desperately needed to see these children through--particularly on weekends, when hunger is a frenquent, unwelcome visitor.

That's where Backpack Buddies comes in. Backpack Buddies is a program launched by Help 4 Kids SC, an organization established in 1989 by caring Horry County citizens who were determined to help Hurricane Hugo survivors put their lives back together following the storm's devastation. During the process, these enterprising individuals met many underprivileged children, struggling for their very survival. So once Help 4 Kids' post-Hugo mission was accomplished, they narrowed their focus to providing basic necessities for children of the working poor in Horry County. These days, Backpack Buddies volunteers pack up over 500 snack packs per week, to be delivered to schools and homes of the area's poverty-stricken children. But these hearty volunteers couldn't succeed without some help. This year, Plantation Storage in Carolina Forest has gladly partnered with the Backpack Buddies program and 23 other local businesses, to host a community scavenger hunt designed to raise funds for the "buddy" backpacks--as well as the food, school supplies, shoes, and clothing needed to fill them.

The scavenger hunt, which is set for September 18, 2010, begins at 10:00 a.m., at Medieval Times, where all the participants in the hunt will sign up and pay a $5.00 entrance fee. Once "hunters" are registered, they will be given maps of the area, so they'll know which businesses to visit along the route, in order to complete their scavenger hunt. Plantation Storage, a designated scavenger hunt checkpoint, will award participants who stop at their store the chance to enter a drawing for a $50 gift card. At the conclusion of the hunt, scavengers will meet back at Medieval Times for the event finale--a festive awards ceremony, complete with music, prizes, and something to munch on, for those so inclined.

If you would like to participate in this event or make a donation to the Backpack Buddies program, please get in touch with Barb Mains of Help 4 Kids SC. Mail-in donations may be directed to: 12053-B Highway 17 Bypass, South Murrells Inlet, South Carolina 29576. Phone-in gifts may be made by calling: 843-651-4310. E-mail questions should be directed to: tmains@sc.rr.com. To learn more about Backpack Buddies or Help 4 Kids SC, check out their website: http://help4kidssc.org/mission.html. For more information on the Medieval Times concluding event, please contact Jennifer Willard by phone: 843-236-4635, extension 2703 or e-mail: jennifer.willard@medievaltimes.com .

And don't forget to join Plantation Storage for the Scavenger Hunt:
WHAT: Backpack Buddies Scavenger Hunt
WHEN: Saturday, September 18th, 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Medieval Times (2904 Fantasy Way, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
WHO: anyone can participate
HOW MUCH: $5 per person
WHY: to clothe, feed, and provide school supplies for impoverished Horry County children

Hope to see YOU there!

Submitted by
Anne Youngblood
Assistant Manager/Public Relations
Hardscrabble Road, Columbia facility

K, C, and the Sunshine Plan

Forest Gump was right. Some things DO naturally go together, "just like peas and carrots." Some people do too. Nowhere is this ever more evident than with our Sparkleberry Lane store's newly-formed management team, comprised of manager Karen Frazier and assistant manager Colleen Wood.

Karen, whose affiliation with Plantation is now in its second year, has been capably "holding down the fort" since early summer, when our dear friend Brad, was lured away by other opportunities. Karen's sixteen years of management experience make her an excellent fit for our service-driven industry in general, and the Plantation family in particular. Though she has California roots, she has clearly cultivated her own brand of Southern charm over the last ten years that she and her family have called the Palmetto State 'home.'

We are also delighted to have Colleen Wood, another former Plantation employee, back on board as the facility's new assistant manager. Colleen left Summerville, South Carolina to join us, and brought with her nearly ten years of experience in self-storage, making her a gold mine of industry knowledge. Her quick, dry wit hints at a possible British heritage, but whether or not she's truly from "across the pond," we may never know. Colleen does, however, admit to being the proud parent of five adult children. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her two canine "children," Panda (a Japanese Chin) and China (a Pekingese).

So why do Karen and Colleen make such a perfect pair? That question is best answered by the Sparkleberry facility's customers, who often comment on this team's cheery good nature, high-quality customer service, and natural ability to coax a smile onto even the grumpiest of faces. One of their customers recently remarked, "Coming to the store each month to pay my bill is a special treat. Every time I leave, it's with a smile on my face. Those girls are like a ray of sunshine in my day!"

By Anne Youngblood, Assistant Manager
Hardscrabble Road facility, Columbia, SC

Hardscrabble to Host "Deal, Squeal, Meal, and Heal" Event

The kids are back in school in Columbia, and our Hardscrabble Road store is celebrating with its Fall Yard Sale and Back-to-School Bash! Be sure to join our crew on Saturday, September, 18, 2010, from 9:00am until 2:00pm for this fun, annual event.

Area Boy Scouts will kick off the day, welcoming sellers, shoppers, students, teachers, and other community guests. You can get started shopping at 9:00 with one of the many vendors who will be on site that day. Sellers will be joined shortly thereafter by officers of the Richland County Sheriff's Department (including the famous 9-foot-tall deputy!), who will register children for the Kid ID child safety program and show off their cool DARE truck.

When lunchtime rolls around, there's no need to go out or head home for your mid-day meal. Mr. Sam Caskey, award winning grill-master, will begin selling his mouth-watering barbeque at 11:00am. Advance orders, which may be purchased at the store for only $5 each, include: a barbeque pork sandwich, fresh homemade cole slaw, chips, and a drink of your choice. The day-of-sale price is $6 per plate.

Plantation will also unveil its brand-new "Color the City" coloring book at the extravaganza. This unique work of art features original, black line sketches of Columbia's most prominent landmarks, created by art students from Ridge View High School, under the guidance of their talented teacher, Mr. Chris Nostrant. A true collaboration between Ridge View and Plantation, these coloring books will be presented as gifts to new elementary school students in the Northeast Columbia community. Plantation Storage and its commercial customers also look forward to honoring the hard-working students and teachers of Northeast Columbia with door prizes, which will be awarded throughout the day.

And in recognition of those in our community who need a little extra help, Plantation is leading the charge by accepting donations for two different groups throughout the day:

* We are well aware that, with the recent economic downturn, many children in the Northeast Columbia community may have started school this year without the supplies they need to succeed. This being the case, Plantation is working to help these young learners by accepting school supply donations, which will be given to public schools in the area for distribution. For a list of supplies or to find out how you can help, please call or drop by our office on 4411 Hardscrabble Road any day during business hours (Monday through Saturday, 9am-6pm).

* Our Columbia stores are once again thrilled to partner with The Muscular Dystrophy Association in the battle against numerous degenerative muscular diseases. We encourage you to join us, by dropping off a cash or check (made payable to MDA). Those who do so will be added to our "MDA Wall of Fame," at the store. For additional details about what you can do to support this year's campaign, feel free to call either of our Columbia locations: (Sparkleberry store) 803-699-6600 or (Hardscrabble store) 803-865-8535.

So whether you're looking to make a deal, hear a squeal (of excitement), grab a great meal, or help someone heal, we have it all for you during Plantation Storage's Fall Yard Sale and Back-to-School Bash!

By Anne Youngblood, Assistant Manager
Hardscrabble Road facility, Columbia, SC

Ball's In Our Court

As self storage professionals, we have become accustomed to a constant state of transition. Customers come and go all the time as they work through major life changes such as moving from one home to another, adjusting to a military change of station, or dealing with excess personal property acquired after the passing of a loved one.

So when we face changes ourselves, we tend to “roll with the punches,” as they say. Such is the case at our Bluffton facility, which welcomed its newest team member, Elaine Ball, late last month. A long-time friend of Plantation Storage and Southeast Management Company, Elaine comes to us from Knoxville, Tennessee, though her roots lie in Virginia Beach, where she has spent most of her adult life.

With over 15 years in management—several of which were specific to property management—it is easy to appreciate why she was chosen to fill the vacancy. Though only less than a month into her new role, Ms. Ball’s years of experience in the industry are already proving indispensable. Though she enjoys and feels most comfortable with the managerial aspects of her job, one of her favorite parts of the new position is the opportunity to work with people.

The facility’s co-manager, Maureen Letendre, who has worked with the company off-and-on ever since the Chase family acquired the facility, is also a recent hire, coming back to work after taking a few years off for family. Originally a native of New York, Maureen now calls Sun City home.

So to Elaine and Maureen, from the rest of the Plantation family, we extend a hearty "Welcome (or welcome back). We’re thrilled you’re here!"

By Anne Youngblood, Assistant Manager
Hardscrabble Road facility, Columbia, SC

Here We Grow Again!

The sweltering heat of summer may have slowed progress for some folks, but not for Plantation Storage. The latest round of construction at our Myrtle Beach store has been moving right along and will soon be complete. Responding to overwhelming customer demand, Plantation’s newest facility is adding forty-nine more units—all in the most popular sizes. When asked about the expansion, site manager Bill Trinemeyer remarked, “More and more people are making their way south to enjoy life at the beach. Transitions like these are often accompanied by an increased need for storage space, which is why our smaller units have been renting like hotcakes! We are thrilled to be able to provide more space for our new friends moving into the Carolina Forest area and surrounding communities.”

Upon completion, the new addition will offer a total of thirty-three climate-controlled spaces and sixteen standard ones, ranging in size from 5’x5’ (25 square feet) to 10’x15’ (150 square feet). This latest project is the second of five phases of construction the facility has planned to meet the ever-expanding needs of Myrtle Beach customers. Bill’s wife and co-manager, Lisa, shares her husband’s enthusiasm about the facility’s growth, “The new building should be finished sometime around the end of the month. We are very excited about it and can hardly wait to meet all our new neighbors here at Carolina Forest!”

By Anne Youngblood, Assistant Manager
Hardscrabble Road facility, Columbia, SC

Our Hidden Hero

In spite of a faltering economy and ever-expanding unemployment rate, the Southeast Management/ Plantation Storage family is standing strong--refusing to waiver from its commitment to offer the high-quality self storage, a wide selection of packing supplies, exceptional customer service, and expert property management for which it is so well known.

This "customers come first" approach actually has its roots with SEM/Plantation's home office team, made up of owner Charles Chase and chief financial officer, Wendy Ashburn. In spite of his "captain of the (company) ship" position, Mr. Chase confesses that much of Southeast Management’s success is attributable to Mrs. Ashburn’s behind-the-scenes efforts. For more than two decades, Wendy has served as Charles’ “gal Friday,” attending to a myriad of administrative details such as: financial resources analysis and oversight, human resources and payroll, and various other office management tasks.

Staff members at the four company-owned facilities clearly appreciate Ms. Ashburn’s helpfulness and dedication as well. Colleen Wood, long-time relief manager for the Sparkleberry Lane facility in Columbia, recently gushed, “Wendy is an absolute sweetheart! She's extremely knowledgeable, highly competent, unfailingly helpful, and has a marvelous sense of humor. No matter what we need, she's always ready and willing to help.” Vice President of Operations, March Chase, echoes these sentiments, describing Wendy as “a great sounding board,” who is “wiser than all of us put together.”

Though it hasn’t always been easy to juggle the many responsibilities required by her position with the company, that doesn’t seem to be a deterrent for Ms. Ashburn, who readily admits that facing and conquering new challenges is her very favorite part of the job. Now you know why we call Wendy the "hidden hero" of Southeast Management Company and Plantation Storage!

By Anne Youngblood, Assistant Manager
Hardscrabble Road facility, Columbia, SC

Buh Bye in Bluffton

Every so often, you meet a manager who knows how to take things to the next level--a guy or gal who appears to have no trouble at all setting and meeting only the highest of standards in the industry. This is the kind of manager small business owners dream about: a respectful and kind customer service representative, an adept and personable salesperson, a flawless communicator, and a splendid time manager--who can juggle it all with a smile on her face! Louise Barnholdt, long-time manager of our Bluffton store, is just such an individual. Throughout her years as a member of the Plantation family, Louise has become a poster child, if you will, for what excellence in our industry looks like.

For this reason--and so many others--we are quite sad to report that Louise will soon be leaving us. Unfortunately for us, her skills have been noticed by more than one person elsewhere in the self storage industry. And just like a scout watching a talented young quarterback at a spring scrimmage, another East Coast property management company has come come along and offered her a district manager position, worthy of her exceptional skills. While we will most certainly miss her (Who wouldn't?), we wish her nothing but the best as she steps into this challenging, new role.

In the meantime, we are quite fortunate to have a well-rounded staff of other, highly-capable self storage professionals who have kindly offered to step in and "mind the store" until our new manager arrives. Bud Wien, manager of our Hardscrabble Road facility in Columbia, brings years of property management experience and a no-nonsense attitude to doing whatever it takes to help our customers with their storage needs. Bill Trinemeyer, of our Myrtle Beach management team, is recognized throughout the industry for his creative, multi-faceted approach to marketing exceptional self storage facilities like ours. He also has a marvelous dry wit that could even make Oscar the Grouch grin! If you have a moment to stop in, they'd love to meet our loyal Bluffton customers. And if any of you would like to jot a quick note to Louise, we'll be sure to pass it along.

By Anne Youngblood, Assistant Manager

Plantation-Hardscrabble, Columbia