Tankar Self Storage Centre at 35 - A Local Business That's Still Going Strong
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.
Over 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. Over 35 Years in Business Is Pretty Impressive —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 13 Priestley Street in the light industrial area of Mittagong.
We’re proud to have expanded to five storage locations between Priestley Street and Cavendish Street, including the addition of 27 Priestley Street. This new site allows us to create larger storage units and mini-warehouses, perfect for storing cars, household furniture, or tradies’ tools and vehicles all in one place.
Over the years, we’ve also upgraded our storage software, gates, and camera surveillance systems, ensuring our customers have total peace of mind when storing with us.
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.
We’ve also received a lot of value from the younger generation in modernising operations, expanding our customer reach, and improving efficiency.
By blending traditional storage knowledge with new practices, we’re set up for future growth while keeping our family values at the core.
It’s also no secret our pets are a big part of our family. We were lucky to have Teekay, our beloved tabby cat, as a friendly office helper for 21 years until she sadly passed away. Millie, a spoiled toy poodle, and Milan, a very talkative Italian greyhound, continue to be our cheerful office companions.
And as luck or maybe a gift from the cat world, just a day after Teekay passed, a tiny kitten appeared at one of our customer’s storage units. We couldn’t turn her away, so we welcomed her into our family and named her Luna. She now joins Millie and Milan in greeting customers at 13 Priestley Street.
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 Mittagong.
We now have five storage locations between Priestley Street and Cavendish Street in Mittagong.
25 Priestley Street has been expanded with an additional 160 storage units, a mix of extra small to extra large sizes. We have spaces that can fit multiple cars for safe car storage, as well as boats, trailers, and even small planes.
The larger spaces can be rented month to month, making them highly desirable as commercial spaces without long-term lease agreements.
The additional location at 27 Priestley Street allowed us to create larger mini-warehouses, 15m x 8m, designed to securely store a lot more, everything from cars and household furniture from a large country estate to a secure home for tradies’ tools, equipment, and vehicles all in one place.
These mini-warehouses are a great choice for small business owners or distributors looking for a more affordable option to commercial industrial units.
The expansion means we can meet the increasing demand for personal and business storage in the Highlands, and our upgraded systems, gates, and cameras give our customers total peace of mind.
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 main 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.
More recently, a production company stored props and costumes from a film shot in the Southern Highlands, and we continue to store some incredible cars, including a vintage Mercedes, a limited edition Ferrari, and a fleet of Bentleys. Seeing how owners care for and detail their cars has been a real privilege.
We have a customer who has been storing their childhood mementoes with us since we first opened, another keeps a seasonal wardrobe with us, upgrading the unit every couple of years.
Over time, we’ve stored an array of wonderful things, from vintage and prestige cars to haute couture wedding dresses, event decorations, hundreds of antique books, typewriters, and old printing presses.
Downsizing, planning renovations, or making room for a new family member can all be stressful, but many of our customers find that having a storage unit with us allows them to keep things that matter, stay organised, and protect their belongings from dust and damage.
Small and local businesses rely on Tankar Self Storage Centre to manage inventory, equipment, documents, or seasonal stock, accessible from any of our convenient Mittagong locations. It’s a cost-effective solution compared to renting additional office space.
5. Why is Tankar Self Storage so darn good and still expanding 35 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.
As a family business, we provide a personal approach to storage. We start with a conversation, understanding what the customer is storing, why, and what extra service they may need to make storing easy.
We’re more than just a self storage company, we are a supportive partner in life’s major changes.
Our friendly customer service is available 24/7, offering peace of mind, quality-built insulated storage units, and a wealth of local knowledge about moving and storage, to help people live their best life in the Southern Highlands.
Living locally, we are always close by and can meet customers out of normal business hours or by appointment.
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.
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!
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 life and return to store with us is the best compliment.
Renting storage is connected to everything home – our service-focused approach means we often refer other quality service providers like real estate agents, interior decorators, movers, property stylists, and car detailers to help our customers.
So awesome, right? Thanks Tankar Self Storage team for helping us Highlanders for so many years – here’s to many more!
This post originally appeared on The Fold Southern Highlands, and runs here with full permission and consent.
