Store First
Store First operates 16 owned self-storage facilities across England and Scotland, renting 25–200 sqft units to homeowners, businesses, and students on recurring 4-weekly subscriptions with all-inclusive pricing, free padlocks, and £15,000 contents protection.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersPadiham, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Store First does
Store First Self Storage Ltd is a UK-based self-storage operator headquartered in Padiham, Lancashire, running 16 owned and operated storage facilities across England and Scotland, with an additional network of Business First office-suite locations under common ownership. Its core product is rental of self-storage units sized from 25 sqft to 200 sqft, sold under a recurring subscription model on 4-weekly invoicing, with all-inclusive pricing that bundles VAT, £15,000 contents protection, and a free padlock, and with no deposit and no notice-to-vocate terms. Customer segments span individual homeowners (decluttering, moving, hobby storage), businesses (inventory, equipment, document archiving), students (holiday storage), and retail customers using external drive-up units.
The technology stack is primarily operational rather than software-led. Site-level systems include monitored CCTV and alarm infrastructure, and the flagship Brierfield Northlight site deploys a NOKE smart-lock keyless entry system with 24-hour smartphone-based access. A three-step online price calculator provides instant all-inclusive quotes and is the primary self-serve conversion mechanism, supplemented by phone, WhatsApp, and in-person booking at each location. Distribution is direct-to-consumer, with location-specific SEO landing pages, an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn, and content marketing through an in-house news/blog, with social proof sourced from Trustpilot and Feefo.
The business model is a subscription-based rental operation supported by ancillary revenue from boxes and packaging sales, free collection services, meeting room hire at Business First sites, and the broader office-suite rental stream. A 50% promotional discount for the first 16 weeks is the primary customer acquisition offer, with 10% and 20% prepay discounts for 13- and 26-week commitments used to drive cash collection. The company is privately held, with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or financial figures, and is associated through shared ownership with the Business First and Northlight Estates brands that extend the addressable offering into office and mixed-use workspace.
Store First firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Store First
- Legal name
- Store First Self Storage Ltd
- Website
- https://storefirst.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Store First operates 16 owned self-storage facilities across England and Scotland, renting 25–200 sqft units to homeowners, businesses, and students on recurring 4-weekly subscriptions with all-inclusive pricing, free padlocks, and £15,000 contents protection.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Store First industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Self-Storage Services
- NAICS
- Lessors of Miniwarehouses and Self-Storage Units (53113)
- SIC
- Public Warehousing & Storage (4220)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Standard/Non-Climate Self-Storage (HSAKAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Business & Commercial Self-Storage (Inventory/Records) (HSAKAGAD), Student & Seasonal Self-Storage (HSAKAGAE), Residential Full-Service Storage (HSAKAHAA)
Keywords
Where Store First is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Padiham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices17 records
Markets served
Store First business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Storage Unit Rental: Primary revenue from renting self-storage units to individuals and businesses. Customers pay recurring fees based on unit size and lease duration. The company offers flexible short and long-term licence agreements with no deposit required and no notice to vacate. Volume discounts are available for prepaying 13+ weeks (10% discount) or 26+ weeks (20% discount).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Storage units from 25 sqft to 200 sqft with 50% new customer discount for 16 weeks |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Store First product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Store First rents self-storage units ranging from 25 sqft to 200 sqft across 16 owned-and-operated facilities in England and Scotland to personal customers, businesses, and students under flexible short- or long-term licence agreements with 24-hour secure access. All-inclusive pricing bundles VAT, £15,000 contents protection, and a free high-security padlock, with free van collection, forklift use, meeting rooms, and WiFi available at select sites.
Product overview
Store First is a UK-based self-storage company operating 16+ locations across the country. The core offering is self-storage units for personal, business, and student use, with all-inclusive pricing that covers VAT, £15,000 contents protection, and a free padlock. The company also operates Business First as a sub-brand offering office suites and workspaces at select locations. Additional services include free collections, meeting room hire, and boxes & packaging materials. The Brierfield Northlight location offers a differentiated product with NOKE smart-lock technology and app-based 24-hour access. The company emphasizes flexible lease agreements, 24-hour access, and no deposit requirements across its storage portfolio.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Personal Storage Self-storage units for individuals needing extra space for decluttering, downsizing, moving house, seasonal items, or hobby storage, with sizes from 25 sqft to 200 sqft and 24-hour access.
- Business Storage Storage solutions for businesses with free 24-hour access, accessible work areas, kitchen, free WiFi and printing, free forklifting, and free collection and delivery services.
- Student Storage Storage options for university students during holidays, including lockers for valuables and shared larger units.
- External Storage Units Outdoor self-storage units available at Store First locations, particularly used by retail and commercial customers needing drive-up access to inventory and goods.
- Self Storage (Umbrella Service) Primary self-storage service offering secure units for individuals and businesses with flexible lease agreements, 24-hour access, and all-inclusive pricing across 16 UK locations.
- Boxes & Packaging Packing boxes and packaging materials available for purchase by storage customers to support their move-in, with 50% discount for new customers.
- Business First Office Suites & Workspaces Office suites, workspaces, and meeting rooms at multiple UK locations, available to business customers alongside storage and free meeting room hire.
- Store First Brierfield (Northlight) Self-Storage Secure self-storage located within Northlight Estates offering modern units with NOKE smart-lock system and 24-hour app-based access, situated within a mixed-use development with on-site amenities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50% off rental prices, contents protection, and boxes & packaging for first 16 weeks
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Store First
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Store First technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Store First partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Black Sheep CoffeeminorBlack Sheep Coffee operates as an on-site amenity within the Northlight Estates where Store First Brierfield is located. This co-location provides added convenience for storage customers with access to coffee and refreshments during their visits.
- Northlight EstatescoreStore First Brierfield is located within the Northlight Estates mixed-use development, which also includes gym facilities and meeting spaces. This partnership provides Store First customers with access to additional on-site amenities beyond traditional storage services.
- Business First (Group First House, Northlight Offices, Blackburn Gateway, and related office brands)coreStore First is associated with the Business First network of office and workspace locations including Group First House, Northlight Offices, Blackburn Gateway, Business First Blackburn, Blackpool Technology Centre, Business First Blackpool, Business First Glasgow, Business First Liverpool, Business First Preston, and The ACE Centre. These appear to be sister companies under common ownership offering complementary office and workspace services to the same customer base.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Store First competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Big Yellow Group: UK-listed self-storage operator with 100+ locations across the UK. Directly comparable as a multi-site self-storage operator serving overlapping residential and business customer segments, though at materially greater scale.
- Safestore Holdings: UK-listed self-storage company with 200+ sites across the UK and Paris. Direct competitor offering personal and business self-storage with overlapping value proposition (flexible leases, contents protection, online booking).
- Shurgard Self Storage: European self-storage REIT operating ~280 facilities across seven countries including UK sites. Direct competitor in the UK personal/business self-storage market with similar unit-rental, no-deposit pricing model.
- Access Self Storage: UK self-storage chain operating roughly 60+ sites, focused on affordable personal and business storage. Direct competitor with a comparable multi-format offering (units, business storage, van collection services).
- Lok'nStore: UK AIM-listed self-storage operator with ~30 sites across southern England. Comparable mid-sized private/small-cap competitor targeting household and business customers with similar flexible-lease, all-inclusive pricing model.
- Ready Steady Store: UK self-storage chain operating approximately 10+ sites, mostly across the South East and Midlands. Comparable direct peer serving personal and business customers with similar unit-size and pricing-tier structure.
Broad incumbents
- Extra Space Storage: Largest US self-storage REIT with UK presence via the Storage King brand. Operates broadly in self-storage but at significantly larger scale and via a portfolio model rather than Store First's regional-density play.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Store First social profiles
Digital presenceStore First financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Store First leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Store First funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Store First M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Store First
What does Store First do?
Store First rents self-storage units ranging from 25 sqft to 200 sqft across 16 owned-and-operated facilities in England and Scotland to personal customers, businesses, and students under flexible short- or long-term licence agreements with 24-hour secure access. All-inclusive pricing bundles VAT, £15,000 contents protection, and a free high-security padlock, with free van collection, forklift use, meeting rooms, and WiFi available at select sites.
Is Store First a public or private company?
Store First is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Store First founded?
Store First was founded in 2019. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Store First based?
Store First is headquartered in Padiham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Store First make money?
One revenue line is on record: storage Unit Rental.
Who are Store First's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Big Yellow Group, Safestore Holdings, Shurgard Self Storage, Access Self Storage, Lok'nStore and Ready Steady Store. Extra Space Storage is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Store First have an API?
No public API is recorded for Store First.
What industry is Store First in?
Store First's product category is Self-Storage Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAKAGAB, Standard/Non-Climate Self-Storage, with a secondary code of HSAKAGAD, Business & Commercial Self-Storage (Inventory/Records). Its NAICS code is 53113 and its SIC code is 4220.