Sometimes it's nice to poke fun at something and completely get away with it. If you enjoy mocking what you see on TV or the Internet, don't miss the King Mango Strut parade in Coconut Grove on December 31. This annual event draws people from Little Havana and all of South Florida to watch people dress up, sing and perform acts while making fun of local and national celebrities, politicians and more. Your local self storage experts at Safeguard Self Storage have the scoop.

How the Parade Started 

When it comes to diversity, you'll find it in Miami, FL. Everyone has their own way of doing things and the freedom to express themselves. Take Glenn Terry and Bill Dobson, the founders of the King Mango Strut. Back in 1982, their marching band wanted to enter the King Orange Jamboree parade. However, they were denied entry because they were playing kazoos and conch shells and using garbage cans as drums.

They decided to form the King Mango Strut as a parody that same year. Since the parade's foundation, it has grown in popularity and includes participants of various races, creeds and cultures. Nothing is sacred at the parade, and most anyone or any issue is a potential target for lighthearted lampooning.

Tips for Participating in the Parade 

Want to make fun of the people in the news? Have something funny to say about the election? Come on down to Miami, FL, and join the fun at the King Mango Strut. You don't have to go through a stringent entry process or need to pay an entry fee. Don't worry if you lack a special skill; just fill out the entry form to get started.

You don't need a long trailer to tow in the parade. Some participants walk in the King Mango Strut while others turn the back of a pickup truck into a float. If you're creating a float, you'll need plenty of supplies like glittery fringe, table skirts and gossamer to create a variety of effects. Balloons always attract attention, and jumbo streamers can accentuate a float in a big way. Consider picking up a bag of assorted candies to toss out into the crowd. It'll make the kids happy and make you stand out from the rest.

Store Your Supplies With Safeguard Self Storage

If you lack the space at home for your float supplies, Safeguard Self Storage has convenient and spacious storage units available in the Little Havana area of Miami. You can use the self storage units to store your supplies before and after the parade. The air-conditioned units will protect your float supplies in the South Florida climate until you need them again at the next King Mango Strut.

Safeguard Self Storage is expanding again in Chicago! On May 28, 2014, Safeguard Self Storage announced the purchase of land in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. Once complete, the self storage facility will be the 69^th store for the company nationally and the 12^th store in the Chicago area. Another planned store in the West Rogers Park neighborhood is presently under construction.

“The Chicago area is a terrific market for Safeguard and provides the company with the opportunity to add value to the Safeguard portfolio,” said Allan Sweet, Safeguard Chief Executive Officer. “This property is in a region where the company already owns and operates stores and we consider its addition to our real estate holdings as an important next step for the company.”

The new Uptown facility will provide 770 storage units in various sizes. Amenities at this location will include heated and air conditioned storage units, drive-in loading area, computer-controlled building access and digital/video recording of the property. The outside of the store has also been upgraded to blend into the surrounding neighborhood.

“The Uptown store, similar to all our Chicago facilities, is designed to provide an exceptional customer experience,” said Ken Finlay, Safeguard Senior Vice-President of Operations. “This facility will complement our product offerings in Illinois and demonstrates our commitment to and confidence in this strong market.”

The West Rogers Park property and the Uptown store are scheduled to open in 2015.

Contact Safeguard Self Storage to find out more information about storing your belongings at a Safeguard in your neighborhood.

Good news for all of you who need storage units in Thornwood, New York!

* * *

Safeguard Self Storage, a provider of premium self-storage solutions, recently acquired its twenty-second operating location in the New York metropolitan self-storage market. This facility, conveniently located at 950 Broadway in Thornwood Village will continue to help provide this community's growing demand for high-quality storage units and self-storage space.

Safeguard has a deeply established presence in the New York market, now with 22 open locations. Less than three weeks ago, Safeguard Self Storage opened its 21st operating location on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn, New York and will open its 23rd location on Bronx Boulevard late next month. As is typical of Safeguard's 62 stores nationwide, the Thornwood self-storage facility is designed with security, convenience and customer service in mind. Amenities at this location include: heated and air conditioned space, a convenient drive-up loading area, computer-controlled access to the building and digital\video recording of the property.

"Because of Safeguard's strong capital position, we were able to complete the acquisition in just 47 days from execution of the contract to closing. This new store complements the company's aggressive development of new locations from new construction – the company owns five other properties, three of which are in New York and two of which are in South Florida in various stages of development.", reported Allen Sweet, Chief Executive Officer of Safeguard Self Storage. "This second acquisition of a single operating store (the first being the company’s acquisition of the McCook, Illinois store about 18 months ago) has solidified the Safeguard management team’s skills required to complete larger acquisitions. It is clear to me that this team is now poised to be able to conduct multiple store acquisitions simultaneously", said Mark B. Rinder, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

"The Thornwood location, like all of our New York facilities, is designed to provide an exceptional customer experience. The high quality of this store, matching Safeguard's superior portfolio, made completion of the acquisition easier than expected," said Michael Frosaker, Senior Vice President of Asset Management who, together with James Goonan, Senior Vice President of Development, led the effort to acquire this store for the Safeguard portfolio.

"This new facility complements our product offering there and provides Safeguard Self Storage with deepening critical mass in this market," explained Goonan.

Ken Finlay, Senior Vice President of Operations added, "Its convenient location (right in the center of the town), the plethora of amenities and the company’s dedication to providing outstanding customer service, makes renting with Safeguard the best storage option in Thornwood and the surrounding area. What makes Safeguard unique is the relationship that we develop with our customers--they are very important to us. We look forward to getting to know and serve the residents and business people of Thornwood. It's a great community and we're proud to be part of it."

Thornwood, NY Self Storage in brief:

• Safeguard acquired the Thornwood, NY self-storage location on June 10th, 2013.
• This facility has 358 storage units in 32,760 leasable square feet with a variety of unit sizes currently available.
• The Thornwood store team is led by Georgi Turer, Facility Manager and Daniel Dorado, Assistant Manager (transferring from the Elmsford, NY store effective today).

Visit us today!

950 Broadway
Thornwood, NY 10594
Phone: 914-295-2124
Fax: 914-769-6970