American Storage

On its customers, the homepage says "75% of our customers have been with us over 20 years," and states the company goal as "It is our goal to make your storage needs simple."

Under Specialties, the About Us page lists 24 hour on-site security, 24 hour access seven days a week, move-in specials, all ground level drive-up units with no elevators and no loading docks, best prices in the city for ground-level storage, and acceptance of commercial deliveries.

A customer review published on the homepage from Mike A. names a staff member: "John at American Storage is a gem to work with. When we needed some storage last minute, I called all the storage places in SF, and was very impressed with how caring and professional John was."

The site does not publish licence numbers, trade association memberships, awards, an ownership name, the number of staff, or a written rental agreement, lien policy or terms and conditions.

The areas served that the company lists are Foster City, Burlingame, Colma, Daly City, Redwood City, San Francisco, San Mateo, San Bruno, South San Francisco and Pacifica, California. Each of those areas has its own page on the site. The storage itself is at the single San Francisco address on Amador Street; the areas served are the places customers travel in from, not additional branch locations, and no second facility is published.

The site describes the facility as large: "We are the largest, cleanest and safest in San Francisco," and the About Us page says the company now has "over 900 storage units on almost 7 acres." Access is drive-up at ground level for cars and trucks, with the homepage noting "EASY ACCESS FOR AUTOS and TRUCKS" and "GROUND LEVEL SAN FRANCISCO STORAGE FACILITY."

Office hours for visiting are 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Sunday. The website does not publish parking instructions for visitors, a map pin beyond a directions link, or a mailing address separate from the street address.

Lists Holiday, Grove City, Mission, Burlingame, Daly City, Foster City, Pacifica, and Redwood City as a location. Names California and United States as a service area. Areas beyond these are not published.

The website also does not publish an administration fee, a set-up fee, a deposit, a lock fee, a late fee, or the cost of tenant insurance or a protection plan. It does not state whether insurance is required, nor what any insurance would cost. None of those fees appear anywhere on the public pages, so no amount should be assumed and the office should be asked.

The site does advertise promotions rather than rates. The homepage and footer mention "Move-In Specials" and a "MONTH FREE" banner marked "*FOR ALL UNITS," and the Hours page states: "Currently we have an offer where you will get one month FREE on select units." The terms, qualifying sizes and expiry of that offer are not published, so a caller should confirm the current offer by phone.

The company positions itself on cost, writing "Best Prices In The City For Ground Level Storage" and "We offer competitive and affordable pricing in San Francisco," but it attaches no numbers to those claims.

Access hours for renters are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The page states "Access Hours 24 Hours, 7 Days A Week" and "We are open with 24/7 access." The homepage repeats this as "24 HOUR ACCESS 7 DAYS A WEEK."

The distinction the site draws is about moving in: "Office hours to move in is 8:00 am to 6:00 pm every day; once unit is rented you have 24 hours access." So a new customer needs to come during the 8:00 am to 6:00 pm office window to rent and move in, and after that can reach the unit at any hour.

On phone contact, the site says "Our lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies and general inquiries" at 415-824-2338. The site also carries the line "NO AI. TALK TO A LIVE PERSON."

The company encourages an in-person visit before renting: "We highly recommend that you come see our storage units in person to insure that you select the right one for your needs. We'll be happy to show you around." The San Francisco page invites customers to "Schedule an in-person viewing now." There is no online booking calendar, no reservation system and no appointment scheduler published on the website, so viewings and rentals are arranged by phone or by walking in during office hours. Holiday closures are not published.

On locks, the About Us and homepage sections say "You're also given a lock to your storage unit," so a lock is provided with the rental rather than bought separately, though the site does not say what type of lock it is.

The site also describes the units themselves as "Clean and Dry," stating "Our units are clean and dry. Have the peace of mind that your belongings are safe and intact rain or shine." It adds "Call us anytime for any security concerns."

The website does not publish details of a gate keypad or individual access code system, alarmed doors, unit-level alarms, fencing specifications, the number of cameras, how long video is retained, or whether the units are climate controlled. It does not publish an insurance or protection plan, and does not say whether tenant insurance is required. Anything not listed above should be confirmed with the office at 415-824-2338 rather than assumed.

The 9 feet high sizes listed are 8.5x8, 8.5x10, 8.5x16, 8.5x24, 8x45 and 8.5x48. The 8.5x24 is described as holding "THE CONTENTS OF A SMALL THREE-BEDROOM HOUSE OR BUSINESS OVERFLOW STORAGE," and the 8.5x48 as "GREAT FOR START UP BUSINESSES WITH LITTLE OR NO OFFICE IN NEED OF STORAGE SPACE."

Alongside the storage units, the site advertises "CAR AND TRUCK MONTHLY PARKING" and says the facility has "EASY ACCESS FOR AUTOS and TRUCKS." The company also states it accepts commercial deliveries. The website does not say which sizes are in stock at any given moment, so a caller should ask the office directly.

Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess.