Top-notch security

Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman wouldn’t do a ribbon-cutting ceremony for just any storage facility, but Kitsap Lake Storage isn’t your typical business.

Kitsap Lake Storage, located between NAD Park and the Big Apple Diner on Kitsap Way, celebrated its grand opening with a public party and ribbon-cutting ceremony by the mayor on April 20.

“The mayor said he wouldn’t normally come to a storage facility, but he loved it here,” said Patty Bair, co-owner of Kitsap Lake Storage.

Patty and her husband, Chuck, have been owners/operators for more than 30 years. They have owned retail businesses, commercial properties and residential rental properties in Kitsap County.

“We’ve done it all,” Patty said with a smile.

The Bairs had a study done to decide what type of business to open at the Kitsap Way location. All studies said the best use of the space was a storage facility.

“All studies came back positive,” Chuck said. “We just followed the supply and demand trail.”

Kitsap Lake Storage serves both personal and business storage needs. The facility has six buildings with more than 700 storage units. Each building or corridor is named after a state to allow people to easily find their storage units.

“It’s easy for people to find their way back to their unit,” Chuck said.

The facility offers storage in 28 different space sizes as well as outdoor parking for boats and RVs. All units are heated and have individual door alarms. The perimeter is completely enclosed with motion-detection lights and video surveillance. Electronic coded gates allow 24-hour access for businesses to the storage units. Regular gate hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“Doctors and attorneys secure their papers here,” Patty said. “They feel safest here.”

The upscale main office features a meeting room with wireless Internet and a retail room with boxes, moving supplies and vending machines. Kitsap Lake Storage also has a 15-foot Ford box truck available for use upon move-in for a nominal fee.

Since opening in January, Kitsap Lake Storage already has more than 200 units rented by individuals and businesses.

“Occupancy has been good so far,” Chuck said. “We’re ahead of projections.”

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