Could your self-storage experience feel homey? Mellow? Safe? Yes, yes, and yes, says Guardian Self Storage to the Beacon community.

Thanks to Guardian Self Storage’s sponsor support of A Little Beacon Blog, we were able to create a “Come In!” feature article for you, dear reader, in order to bring you the details behind all those colorful “Now Open!” flags blowing in the wind at 629 Route 52, next to their original building that replaced Southern Dutchess Bowl.

Said property manager Vicki McDonald to A Little Beacon Blog: “We are thrilled to provide the Beacon community – both residents and businesses – with a warm and welcoming space to store stuff of all kinds. We’re all about making moving easy and personable.” Vicki has been with the company for 18 years, and is a lifelong Beaconite who fondly recalls frequenting the former bowling alley.

While Guardian Self Storage’s Beacon location has been open for 5 years, the original plan was always to build a second building to offer a temperature-controlled environment. That day has come.

But First, A Brief History For Beacon Trivia Collectors

General Manager Judy Motter and Beacon’s Manager vicki McDonald stand in the auto-lit hallway of Guardian’s renovated building, that preserved the original wood beamed ceiling of the bowling alley.
*Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB*

As the company’s 14th location in the Hudson Valley, Guardian Self Storage came to Beacon 5 years ago. It converted the former Southern Dutchess Bowl, but preserved the iconic ceiling, allowing customers to view the beams from each storage unit. Units on this floor in the first building can see the original ceiling, as the top of every storage unit is chicken wire, which allows for airflow through each unit.

During that renovation, Guardian Self Storage creatively connected with the community through its re-use of bowling lane planks. One person bought some of the high gloss maple timber for a kitchen renovation. Other pieces of the floor were sold to a bar for their decor.

The previous owner, Barry Winter, also kept a lane for himself. He says it was a "championship winning lane."

The New Building – Temperature Controlled!

windows for natural light in both Guardian Self Storage Buildings in Beacon.
*Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB*

The new, four-story, 64,000 square foot facility sits next to the original building, fitted with an elevator. Both buildings are temperature controlled, are immaculate, and have windows to see the views and let in the natural light.

Units range from 25 square foot “small closets,” to the humongous 300 square foot “attics.” Large enough to be a 2-car garage (but no cars are stored at this location)! All units are 10 feet high, with roll-up metal doors. The smallest is the size of a small pantry, followed by a proper closet.

“We converted some of the larger units to be the smaller closet size, because that has been the most popular size in Beacon,” said Vicki.

Customers usually use their own storage shelves if they feel they need them, but they can hire Guardian Self Storage to build custom built shelving for the unit. Rentals are available month-to-month.

“Frequently, we are helping some people during a stressful point in their lives,” added General Manager Judy Motter. “It could be a divorce, or moving for one reason or another. We are a calming factor. We want to make this the easiest part of your move, if you’re moving.”

Each unit has a number, identified with a stylish sign, like on an apartment.
*Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen FOR ALBB*

Indeed, Guardian/Beacon serves a diverse array of space-seekers. Customers include drivers for brand name snacks, homeowners, renters, business people, people who make or collect to sell at flea markets, craftspeople, and artisans.

The 10’ x 30’ unit in the new temperature controlled building.
*Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB*

“Some of them hang out, make things, and tinker,” said Vicki. “Years ago, when people in Beacon first started being approached to sell their homes for cash and they accepted, they and had to move very quickly. They stored most of their house here until they relocated.”

The “Garden units” in the new temperature controlled building of Guardian Self Storage.
*Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB*

Natural light imparts a cheery ambiance in the boxy building. “We purposefully have a lot of windows, with plenty of landscaping,” said Judy. Soft piano music chimes in the background on all of the floors as one walks to their storage unit. “We make a point of making people feel welcome, and at home here.”

The lower-level spaces are dubbed “Garden Units” because of large picture windows facing some of the storage units. “A person feels like they are in a “Garden Apartment,” twinkled Ms. McDonald.

Community Involvement Beyond Storage

For many years, Guardian has been well-respected for creating close community ties, and Guardian Beacon looks forward to becoming a friend to Beaconites and beyond.

“Being there for Beacon is something we’re looking forward to,” said the project manager. “I grew up in Beacon, and loved my years at the Yanarella School of Dance, on Main Street. So, I’ve experienced the arts first-hand. Each month, Guardian Self Storage allows a manager of all locations to pick something in their community to benefit. I’m very happy with Guardian’s community policy that lets us reach everyone.”

To this end, the recent Howland Cultural Center Photography Members Exhibition was granted corporate support from Guardian Beacon.

Security In The Storage Units

Customers have their own personal code for easy accessibility during the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., seven days a week. Security cameras are located in several places in both buildings.

Easy Storage, Supplies and Moving Convenience

Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB

Stop by the main office to purchase supplies like boxes, combination locks, and moving supplies as needed.

Guardian Self Storage’s Beacon location is celebrating its Grand Opening with a 30% discount for the first three months. A free 14-foot box truck or 10-foot van* rental is available on a first-come basis for moving. Customers pay for fuel as well as a small deposit and insurance fee.
*Van is available for the Beacon location only. Lucky us!

Guardian Self Storage also accepts mail and packages for business customers.

Guardian Self Storage Sizes

629 Route 52, Beacon, NY
(845) 838-3800
Storage Unit Sizes:
4’ x 3’ Good for college students
5’ x 5’ Good for gear & garden tools
5’ x 10’ Good for seasonal clothes or motorcycle
5’x 15’ Good as a walk-in closet
10’ x 10’ Good for 2-3 rooms of furniture
10’ x 15’ Good to store an apartment
10’ x 20’ Good for 3-4 rooms of furniture
10’ x 25’ Good for business storage
10’ x 30’ Good for a household of storage

All in all, Guardian Self Storage’s overarching aim is putting smiles on people’s faces. The proof of the pudding is the enthusiasm of the managers and office staff, and the gleaming cleanliness of the facility.

“Think of that spider-web covered crawl space of your basement, or cramming things into your apartment,” said Vicki. “Instead, you can use a clean unit that you can access as needed. No more denying yourself more holiday decorations just because you ran out of space!”

Seeing is believing, and yearning to stow. Contact Guardian Self Storage’s Beacon location for a tour. Call 845-838-3800 or email beacon@guardianselfstorage.com.

Judy and vicki are ready to take you on a tour of Guardian Storage in Beacon.
*Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB*

Night Moving

The night we moved - because it was nighttime after the movers packed all of our boxes that day in NYC; otherwise we would have been buried in boxes in our tiny apartment - we drove up to Beacon in the moving truck.

My most happy time was sitting in the front seat of the moving truck, driving past the wide open spaces on 9D that were actually Garrison homes with large, rolling fields for yards. Those blended into Cold Spring, which disappeared into the tunnel of Breakneck Ridge, until we got to the other side of the ridge and the stars emerged in the sky again.

It was just so black. The sky. The air. And open. When we pulled up to our house, we got out of the truck and fumbled for our new keys to the house. The air was cold and crisp. On the sidewalk across the street from our house, on the other side of a chain-link fence, I heard rustling. My dog was still alive then, so I was used to perking my ears up to hear if outside sounds were human or raccoon. Human. I’d later learn it was my neighbor, who happened to be letting out their dog at that hour, and happens to know everything that is going on at all times. (This is why dog-walking is useful!)

Front Porches

As the movers moved in, my dog was investigating our new front yard within our own new-for-us old chain-link fence, as I stood on the front porch. Again the sky was black with stars. The black enveloped me. The artist Stanley Lindwasser just described it perfectly at his art opening - the openness that is density. That’s what he loves about his new home here in Beacon after moving here from Hoboken, N.J.: the density. And that’s what I loved. I never wanted to lose that feeling of being enveloped by the dark on my front porch, seeing the stars, and feeling so lucky that this space would be what grounded us.

The Great Blizzard of 2010

A few days later, The Great Blizzard of 2010 hit, and we lost power for three days. We are not campers in the wilderness. In our adulting lives, we grew up in NYC with supers who fixed our kitchen sinks or hung things. We didn’t know how to light our gas stove in the event of a power outage. The next day, our new neighbors, the ones with the late-night dog walking, invited us over for a warm meal and a kerosene heater. They bickered about using the kerosene heater for a bit while I silently prayed they would decide to keep using it because it was just so warm. They also told us how to light the gas stove. Game changer.

So that’s when we fell in love with Beacon. In the winter. While the power was out. It brought us together with our neighbors, and introduced us to the concept of community, something which New York City has in a different way, but not the same way that a small city-town can produce.

What is your moving-in or moving-back story? Or if you moved here 20 or 50 years ago, share that story too!