You’ve probably noticed that, in the last few years, self-storage has crept into pop-culture consciousness. The explosion that was “Storage Wars” set off a tsunami of reality television shows with self-storage at their core, which has been quickly followed by a bevy of comic books, films and other releases that have used self-storage as the setting for suspense, horror and the supernatural.
Granted, the launch point is likely “Silence of the Lambs,” which used a self-storage scene to chilling effect when it was released in 1991, but the latest incarnations have used self-storage facilities as their focal point and reason for being. These have included a zombie-themed graphic novel series, a sci-fi comic book series, a horror-comedy movie and even the lowest-grossing film in the United States in 2013.
Some of these projects have included recognizable names, but none match the prowess of author Jay Bonansinga, best known for writing “The Walking Dead” novels based on the Robert Kirkman comic-book series. Bonansinga has released a thriller horror novel titled “Self Storage” through Magnetik Ink, an entertainment-media venture he launched last year with business partner Jeff Siegel. I’m excited to announce that we’ve chosen the book to be our first fictional, non-business-related product sold through the ISS Store.
The hardcover book is now available for the special price of $24.95. The story centers on Johnny Fitzgerald, an artist and heroin addict who gets locked inside his storage unit two days before Christmas with his 6-year-old son Jake. Father and son fight for their lives, forced to face demons both real and imagined. While trapped, they battle thirst, hunger, the effects of heroin withdrawal, and something dark and terrifying touched off by the self-storage facility itself (insert maniacal laugh).
Fans of Bonansinga and the horror genre will likely rejoice at the book’s availability, while some of you may scratch your head, puzzled by its inclusion alongside our bevy of educational DVDs, insightful books, Guidebook series, and other business tools designed to help you improve the efficiency and profitability of your existing business or enter the self-storage industry with a solid foundation of knowledge.
One of our goals since launching the store has been to offer merchandise that slants toward the fun side of the business and suits the interests of industry professionals. Self-storage is filled with folks who have a wide array of hobbies and backgrounds, but we’re all bonded by the industry’s vast mix of products and services. The anchor to all of it is the self-storage facility. It can be fun to have offbeat-but-related items around the office or at home for our own amusement.
There is no denying the sleekness of modern storage facilities, but I can tell you from past experience that even the most beautiful workplace can be creepy after dark. We’ve come a long way from the barbed-wire, dank and musty stereotype of the past, but pop culture won’t let that image go quietly into the night. In the horror genre, it’s much more an embrace than a perpetration. And in the hands of a storyteller like Bonansinga, you may want to do your reading with the all the lights on.
We hope to add more side products in the coming months. Please let us know of any fun or offbeat self-storage-related items you’d like to see available. For now, enjoy an early nod to Halloween.