MSM names 2026 self-storage Facility of the Year winners at THE Show

Modern Storage Media announced six 2026 Facility of the Year winners at its Red Carpet Awards Gala in Atlanta during THE Show, marking the first time the awards were presented live in front of an industry audience. The winners will appear in MSM's December issue and online in the coming weeks.

Why it matters: - The Facility of the Year awards spotlight self-storage projects that set the standard for design, development, innovation and technology. - Presenting the winners live at THE Show gave the program a new stage and put the industry’s top facilities in front of peers for the first time. - The awards also recognize how developers handled project challenges, not just the final property.

What happened: - Modern Storage Media honored six self-storage facilities at its Red Carpet Awards Gala at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on Nov. 6, 2026. - The gala was part of MSM's inaugural self-storage conference and trade show, THE Show. - The event was the first time the annual Facility of the Year winners were announced live before an audience of industry professionals. - The evening included a cocktail reception, red carpet entrance, dinner and the awards presentation.

The details: - MSM has recognized standout self-storage facilities since 1987. - The awards now span six categories: Overall, New, Construction, Smart, Conversion and International. - The 2026 Overall Facility of the Year winner was The Space Shop in Largo, Florida. - The 2026 New Facility of the Year winner was Storage Sense in Bowling Green, Kentucky. - The 2026 Construction Facility of the Year winner was Storelocal Storage at Tesoro Viejo in Madera, California. - The 2026 Smart Facility of the Year winner was Centro Storage in Jacksonville, Florida. - The 2026 Conversion Facility of the Year winner was Storelocal Storage in Irving, Texas. - The 2026 International Facility of the Year winner was Bow City Seton in Calgary, Canada. - Each winning facility received an engraved trophy.

Between the lines: - MSM is using THE Show to give the awards more visibility and make the ceremony part of a larger industry gathering. - The live presentation suggests the program is evolving from a recognition list into a marquee event for self-storage professionals. - MSM Publisher Poppy Behrens said the company wanted to honor the winners in front of their peers and watch facilities continue raising the bar for future awards.

What's next: - The six winning facilities will be featured in the December issue of MSM's Messenger magazine in print and digital formats in the coming weeks. - MSM will also publish in-depth profiles of all six award-winning properties on the company's website. - The awards program will continue into future years as MSM looks for the next round of standout facilities.