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Life Storage, Inc

Life Storage, Inc. is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires and manages self-storage properties throughout the United States. Headquartered in Buffalo, New York, the company employs over 2,000 people and operates approximately 1,000 self-storage facilities encompassing over 68 million square feet in 38 states and the District of Columbia.

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Life Storage, Inc

Life Storage, Inc. currently operates under the brand name Life Storage®, and is one of the largest self-storage companies in the world. Prior to 2017, the company operated under the brand Uncle Bob’s Self Storage®.

Founded in 1982, the company was originally a financial planning firm but opened its first self-storage facility in Florida in 1985. Within three years, it owned approximately 30 facilities along the East Coast and accumulated 62 facilities over the next decade. Life Storage was originally known as Sovran Self Storage, Inc., operating under the brand name Uncle Bob’s Self Storage beginning in the late 1980s.

Life Storage went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1995, trading under the name Sovran Self Storage. Within a year, it grew its holding to 111 self-storage facilities along the East Coast and Texas. Life Storage doubled to 222 facilities by 1999 and by 2003 operated in 21 states.

Life Storage Boxes

Life Storage continued its acquisitions throughout the United States, expanding into cities such as Chicago, New York, Atlanta, and St. Louis. It operated 478 facilities by the end of 2013 and 500 facilities by the end of 2014. It made its way to the West Coast in 2016, acquiring California-based LifeStorage LP.

The company rebranded from Sovran Self Storage, Inc. to Life Storage in 2016 and now trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LSI (formerly NYSE:SSS).

In 2017, the company rebranded its facilities to Life Storage – a name that more closely depicts the Company’s customer-centric focus, progressive growth, and innovative technologies.

Sovran is founded as a Financial Advisory company

Sovran is founded as a Financial Advisory company

1982
Sovran opens first storage facility

Sovran opens first storage facility

1985
All stores are re-branded Uncle Bob’s Self Storage

All stores are re-branded Uncle Bob’s Self Storage

1991
Sovran Self Storage, Inc is listed on the NYSE

Sovran Self Storage, Inc is listed on the NYSE

1995
100 stores

100 stores

1996
200 stores

200 stores

1998
Uncle Bob’s brand boxes and moving supplies hit stores

Uncle Bob’s brand boxes and moving supplies hit stores

1999
Customer Care Center opens

Customer Care Center opens

2000
Uncle Bob’s launches the first Humidity Controlled Storage Facility

Uncle Bob’s launches the first Humidity Controlled Storage Facility

2000
Uncle Bob’s Trucks hit the road

Uncle Bob’s Trucks hit the road

2001
300 stores

300 stores

2006
First Online Reservation is taken

First Online Reservation is taken

2009
First storage facility powered by solar panels

First storage facility powered by solar panels

2009
400 stores

400 stores

2011
First Wine Storage

First Wine Storage

2011
Blog Launches

Blog Launches

2012
Dave Rogers is appointed CEO

Dave Rogers is appointed CEO

2014
500 stores

500 stores

2014
Customer Care Center open 24-hours

Customer Care Center open 24-hours

2015
Sovran purchases Life Storage, and changes the Uncle Bob’s brand name

Sovran purchases Life Storage and changes the Uncle Bob’s brand name

2016
Life Storage changes to LSI on Wall Street

Life Storage changes to LSI on Wall Street.

2016
600 Stores

600 Stores

2017
Rent Now online rental platform launched

"Rent Now" online rental platform launched

2018
Joe Saffire

Joe Saffire is appointed CEO

2019
800 Stores

800 Stores

2019
Rent Now 2.0

"Rent Now 2.0" released for convenience-based pricing

2020
1000 Stores

1000 Stores

2021
Sustainability Report released

First annual Sustainability Report released

2021
Kiosks Implemented

Kiosks implemented for payments and rentals

2022