Armadillo Self Storage

Because I’ve moved all around the US I’ve had storage units for at least 30 years. This last one which was Armadillo I had for 9 years. Finally I have a place to live where I don’t require storage! In the past 9 years I have seen the cops 3 times at public storage across the street and read in the news where people there went being the storage units & broke in and also once there was a fire.
I LOVED the security I got with Armadillo. They have cameras everywhere, the place is CLEAN and secure. You put in your security code when you drive in — that unlocks the building where your storage is — great feature.
I don’t understand why some person said something about being forced to buy insurance. We weren’t and if it was brought up it was so insignificant that we don’t remember if it was brought up or not. Yes and everybody wants you to buy «insurance». You don’t have to.
The gal in the office was always very helpful and nice to us. answered all our questions. we cleared out our storage in 2014… have no idea if anything changed since then. But we were always very happy knowing that our belongings were safe & secure. Because we were long time renters we also got a discount. If we ever have to store anything again. Armadillo will be it hands down.

We rented a space here going on two years. We did our best to try to pay rent on time. We have a family of four and it is not easy living off one person’s salary. If only I had known, after we always paid rent accordingly, I had not realized they would truly turn around a sell our stuff after not getting back to them quickly, most of it mine and my children’s. I cannot begin to think how this place, as well as many others, truly need your money now or else. I thought they would be easy going since we tried so hard to pay the amount. I guess part of the problem was that we were not doing a good job of communicating with them when they called, which was not often enough as much as our end should have been better. All my life’s work just turned around and sold to other people. Asked if I could connect with those people, was told it was against the law. Never again will I have my stuff in a storage and thanks Armadillo for trying so hard to not be a little more understanding and to any other storage place like it.

This used to be a very good bargain, but it isn’t any longer. After Storage Court (owned by Morris Piha) took over management, customer service has gone downhill.
The pros — secure (because you can’t see it from the highway) and clean (but Public Storage is clean too and allows small amounts of garbage and recyclable materials to be disposed of on-​site).
The cons — there used to be a resident manager, not any longer. Rules Rules Rules and little to be gained by it. I have no problem with reasonable rules, but since Morris Piha/​Storage Court took over, it is like a military junta.
Dishonest — they make you purchase insurance from them but don’t provide a copy of the policy. The rates are no longer competitive. They are asking all previous customers with rental agreements to sign new ones under false pretense — that the State audited them (no, the State of Washington does not audit self-​storage or any private company), changes in the State law (no, the changes in State law in the last legislature required that all legal communication regarding defaults be done in writing, not email or other electronic communication). What their new rental agreements do is give Storage Court all the power and customer none. Staff cop an attitude pretty quick (especially the ones from other Storage Court facilities).
Conclusion — you have to trade off high prices and so far secure storage with a ton of onerous rules for a cheaper and perhaps less secure place.

Self storage is self storage right? Those cold impersonal rows and rows of sliding doors. How exciting is that?
In 2006 Public Storage bought SureGard to create one big mega-​storage company (oh yeah, they’re all called Public Storage now — PS). What does that have to do with Armadillo?
Armadillo is an independently owned storage facility and oddly enough, it’s right across the street from a Public Storage and about ½ mile from a former SureGard Public Storage.
The biggest difference was price. At the time I rented, the 10 X 15 was a 156 per month compared to 210 per month for the Public Storage across and down the street for the same size unit. A full 50 bucks less!
Armadillo is climate controlled as well and those PS Places are not. Climate controlled does not mean heated though. Boilers will pipe some heat running under the floor which keeps moisture out of the units. But it doesn’t really feel warm in there on cold days.
Armadillo is also alarmed and neither of the PS places are. That means if someone breaks your lock and opens the door while you are not checked in (via the gate code), WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP, etc.
There is small apartment onsite where I think the managers live.
Drawback, no electricity in the units and no light in the drive up units. Unless that’s a feature you pay extra for, mine does not have light and that makes for some difficult seeing on the short days of fall and winter. The grounds are well lit however, and very well kept.
Finally unlike the nearby PS’s, there is one lane for people coming in and one lane for people coming out. At the nearby PS they come and go out the same gate and that makes for minor irritations.