Now Showing: U-Haul is Repurposing Rome Cinemas for Self-Storage and Retail

ROME, Ga. (Oct. 20, 2021) - U-Haul® will use its ecofriendly adaptive reuse program to transform the old Rome Cinemas movie theater at 2535 Shorter Ave. into a modern retail and self-storage facility.

U-Haul acquired the property on Sept. 28.

Preliminary plans call for the creation of 500 indoor climate-controlled storage rooms with high-tech security features at affordable price points. Renovations are scheduled to be completed in spring 2022.

U-Haul Moving & Storage of West Rome will also provide customers with truck and trailer sharing, towing equipment and professional hitch installation, boxes and moving supplies, U-Box® portable storage containers, and green programs like Take A Box, Leave a Box to benefit the local community.

"U-Haul has a longstanding history of reuse, aiming to give old buildings a new purpose," said Doug Weston, U-Haul Company of Atlanta North president. "This particular movie theater was built in 1983. We're excited to add it to our portfolio of adaptive reuse projects. We've converted everything from malls to big box stores. This responsible corporate model allows us to preserve a city's history while also removing blight."

Weston expects to employ at least 12 Team Members at the new store. U-Haul will look to hire locally to support job growth within the Rome community. U-Haul, honored as a "Best for Vets 2020" leading veteran-friendly employer by The Military Times, actively recruits veterans and gives them preference in the hiring process. Find U-Haul careers at uhauljobs.com.

Located five miles from Berry College and Shorter University, the store will cater to students and residents in Floyd County.

Acquisition of the 28,484-square-foot theater was driven by U-Haul Corporate Sustainability initiatives: U-Haul supports infill developments to help local communities lower their carbon footprint. The adaptive reuse of existing buildings reduces the amount of energy and resources required for new-building materials and helps cities reduce their unwanted inventory of unused buildings.

"Rome is a great place to live because we're close enough to Atlanta for folks to commute for work, but far enough away to enjoy suburban living," Weston added. "Many people are starting to realize Rome's potential. They are packing up their U-Haul trucks to head this way. This new store improves our ability to meet the growing demand from customers here."

While U-Haul Moving & Storage of West Rome is being renovated, other U-Haul stores and neighborhood dealers in the region are available to serve customers. U-Haul Moving & Storage at Shorter Ave. at 2447 Shorter Ave. is open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Saturday; 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday; and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

Reserve equipment at uhaul.com or contact Reservations at 1-800-GO-UHAUL.

As an essential service provider, U-Haul continues to serve communities during the COVID-19 recovery while offering contactless business programs and enhanced cleaning protocols, including added steps for sanitizing equipment between customer transactions. U-Haul products are used daily by First Responders; delivery companies bringing needed supplies to people's homes; small businesses trying to remain afloat; college students; and many other dependent groups, in addition to the do-it-yourself household mover.

About U-HAUL

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 23,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our proprietary Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 176,000 trucks, 126,000 trailers and 46,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers nearly 825,000 rentable storage units and 71.6 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S., and continues to be the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul has been recognized repeatedly as a leading "Best for Vets" employer and was recently named one of the 15 Healthiest Workplaces in America.

Contact:

Andrea Batchelor

Jeff Lockridge

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 602-263-6981

Website: uhaul.com

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