My Biz: Green Acres finds rewards in the business of moving

When it comes to operating a storage facility, Hannah Vajgert can assure you that no day is the same.

For the past two and a half years, she has helped manage the day-to-day operations of Green Acres Storage based in Cedar Rapids. 'There's a lot of problem solving and multi-tasking that comes with this job,” she said. 'It's like putting a puzzle together - getting people a truck or getting them in a storage unit.”

Green Acres Storage operates three locations - one on the southwest side of Cedar Rapids, one in Marion and one in Dubuque - that offer more than 1,700 storage units for use by individuals and businesses. It is also expanding into Waterloo, she said.

'Each facility we build is better than the last because we learn what works best for our customers,” Vajgert said. 'You really learn something new all the time here.”

Facilities have traditional drive-up storage units in addition to the more popular climate controlled units, she added.

While storage now accounts for about half of Green Acres' business, the company got its start in the truck rental business about 20 years ago. Today, it continues to rent trucks and it sells packing supplies for customers on the move.

'Moving is a really stressful time for people,” Vajgert said. 'We try to take some of that stress out of it. And all of our business components are really complimentary. This is a one-stop shop if you are moving.”

While business is slower during the winter months, Vajgert said it picks up dramatically as the weather warms.

'This winter has been a bit busier this year because we haven't gotten a lot of snow,” she said. 'But summer is so busy that we are literally taking the phone to the restroom with us. It rings non-stop.”

And with just 11 employees across all locations, Vajgert said it's important that the team works hard to provide the best customer service experience they can.

'Helping people in stressful times is very rewarding,” she said. 'When you think about the value in 1,700 units full of people's belongings, that adds up to a lot of responsibility and we know people are putting their trust in us.”

At a glance

l Name: Hannah Vajgert

l Title: Manager

l Company: Green Acres Storage

l Address: 5315 J St. SW, Cedar Rapids

l Phone: (319) 364-7400

l Website: www.greenacresstorage.net

l Know a company in business for more than a year that would make an ideal 'My Biz”? Contact Chelsea Keenan at chelsea.keenan@thegazette.com