A new self-storage facility has opened in Birmingham city centre. StoreAway has launched the 60,500 sq ft site in a former department store building in Corporation Street where it has 650 lockers across three floors.
Built in 1955 for C&A, the building at 14-28 Corporation Street was home to Beatties until 2006 and more recently was used by now defunct retailer JJB Sports and fitness chain EasyGym.
The opening comes as part of the company's plan to repurpose more than 250,000 sq ft of unoccupied retail and leisure space across the country to create new storage centres, following its launches in Liverpool and Cheltenham earlier this year.
Managing director Richard Lanyon said: "Our long-term vision for the future is clear and, while the concept is still in its infancy, we have captured the attention of owners such as Legal & General.
"The new store sits in a prime location in the UK's second largest city and is in the perfect place for our facility to thrive due to it being right on the doorstep of our many different types of customers that we know this service will be of benefit to."
Further sites are due to open over the coming year in Bath, Basildon and Swindon.
Joint managing director and founder Christian Yates added: "When developing this concept, we wanted to revolutionise the inclusivity of modern life, meaning that the one-size-fits-all approach no longer works.
"By excluding this, we have been able to open new doors to those seeking flexibility and control over their own time, space and routine. Birmingham is the perfect place for StoreAway to thrive as the face of the city continues to change with continued investment being poured into it, meaning more people look to new ventures like ours."
The firm announced earlier this year that it had secured £16 million in investment to support the launch of the new sites from Legal & General, Redevco and Nash Business Capital.
Matt Jarvis, senior fund manager at Legal & General which also owns the former Beatties building, said: "We are delighted to agree a partnership with StoreAway for this prime site on Corporation Street and bring department store space back into productive use.
"Its reinvention into modern, fit-for-purpose self-storage space will support the city's companies and residents. Our rethinking retail blueprint continues to reinvent and reframe retail places, blurring the boundaries between our live, work and play environments, focussing on services and amenity."
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