People in Norwich now have another option to store their belongings.
Moove In Self Storage’s Norwich location, at 210 Salem Turnpike, which opened in January, is off to a strong start, with 75 out of the 646 self-storage units already rented. In fact, customers wanted to rent spaces online before the Norwich Moove In opened, Property Manager Nancy Francois said.
“We’ve been getting a warm reception from the community,” she said.
Francois, who grew up in the area and went to Norwich Free Academy, also hopes Moove In will get involved in the community, whether it’s sponsoring Little League or other activities.
“Once we move into a community, we do what we can to be a part of the community,” she said.
The Moove In chain, owned by Investment Real Estate LLC, of York, Pennsylvania, wanted to come to Norwich because of its mix of multifamily, residential and commercial developments, Jill Helsel Gingrich of La Torre Communications said in an email.
“Norwich is a stable market for self-storage demand, further strengthened by its proximity to Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, which highlight the area’s promising future,” she said.
Customers from around Norwich have been travelling as far as New London for self-storage, so having a closer option is welcomed, Francois said.
When Francois, who has worked for Moove In for three years now, heard there would be a location on Salem Turnpike, she wasn’t sure where it could go. Once she knew it was by the Wal-Mart and Big Y, it made sense to her.
“I drive down to this Wal-Mart once a week, so it’s actually a perfect location in Norwich since it’s on the main strip,” she said.
The price range for storage units in Norwich goes from a 5-by-5 for $59 a month, up to a 10-by-15 for $169 a month, all with the first month free, according to the NSA Storage website.
A customer might choose Moove In over another self-storage company due to unit features, including temperature control and “advanced access features,” its people, or the company’s values of “fairness, respect, and a sense of family,” Helsel Gingrich said.
While Francois is currently the only employee regularly at the Norwich Moove In, she’ll take time to talk with customers and see how they’re doing or help them with their self-storage.
“I try to be as personable as possible with the customers,” she said.
Moove In’s values also apply to Francois as an employee, from summer retreats and other social opportunities, to supporting her in her work.
“If I need something, I feel like I have a team behind me,” she said.
Moove In also sells storage supplies, often branded with the cow motif. The company name comes from the founding, as Moove In’s first self-storage facility was a former dairy farm, Francois said.
Bozrah resident Tina Bolton rents a unit at Moove In. Bolton ran the Two Sisters Trading Post, an antique store in Salem, with her sister Susan Bly. When a new landlord bought their building, they decided to do something different with the property. The Trading Post closed in January, and Bolton wanted to keep the remaining stock.
Bolton has had experience with buying storage units for items to sell in her store. Sometimes, the staff at those places weren’t friendly or good with customer service, she said.
Based on those experiences, she chose Moove In because it’s new and clean, and near her home. Francois is also a nice and helpful person to work with, who will explain everything a unit renter needs to know, Bolton said. “It does make a difference,” she said
