U-Haul at Gordon Hwy. in Augusta to Close after 43 Years

Rhea-AI Summary

U-Haul at Gordon Highway in Augusta permanently closed on Sept. 30, ending 43 years of service. Although the location ceased operations, U-Haul will retain ownership and lease the property to a new tenant. Customers can access U-Haul products less than a mile away at a newly acquired facility formerly a Kmart, which supports U-Haul's sustainability initiatives. The closure, driven by strategic business decisions, resulted in the layoff of four employees. U-Haul remains operational during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring safety protocols are followed for customers and employees.

Positive

• U-Haul maintains ownership of the Gordon Highway property and plans to lease it, potentially generating rental income.
• Newly acquired U-Haul facility offers expanded services, enhancing customer accessibility.

Negative

• Closure of the Gordon Highway location may lead to decreased market presence in the area.
• Layoff of four employees may affect company morale and public perception.

AUGUSTA, Ga., Oct. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- U-Haul at Gordon Highway permanently closed its doors on Sept. 30.

Though U-Haul® operations ceased at 1802 Gordon Hwy., the Company announced that it plans to maintain ownership and lease the property to a new tenant. The facility has been serving do-it-yourself movers in Augusta since 1977.

Customers of the location can find U-Haul products less than a mile away at the new U-Haul Moving & Storage at Gordon Hwy. This is the site of a former Kmart® store that was acquired in 2019. U-Haul is offering truck and trailer sharing, indoor self-storage, U-Box portable storage containers, moving supplies, boxes, towing equipment, hitch accessories, bike racks and more.

Acquisition of the new store 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.

Local U-Haul Companies are always exploring opportunities for growth as they pursue means to better serve the needs of customers, but sometimes find it necessary to close or relocate stores. Reasons for closures can include: long-term strategic plans; physical plant limitations, including insufficient square footage; shifts in demographics; trends in migration; expansion of the U-Haul neighborhood dealer network; and proximity to other new or existing U-Haul stores.

As a result of the old store closing, four U-Haul Team Members were let go.

As an essential service provider, U-Haul has remained open throughout the COVID-19 outbreak while offering contactless 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 countless other dependent groups, in addition to the household mover.

Please visit uhaul.com/announcement for more information on how U-Haul is keeping its Team Members and customers safe.

About U-HAUL

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of 22,000 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, 127,000 trailers and 41,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers nearly 774,000 rentable storage units and 66.7 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry, and is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S.

Contact:
Andrea Batchelor
Jeff Lockridge
E-mail: publicrelations@uhaul.com
Phone: 602-263-6981
Website: uhaul.com

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SOURCE U-Haul

FAQ

When did U-Haul at Gordon Highway in Augusta close?

U-Haul at Gordon Highway closed on Sept. 30, 2020.

What services are available after the closure of U-Haul at Gordon Highway?

Customers can find U-Haul products less than a mile away at the U-Haul Moving & Storage at Gordon Hwy.

Why did U-Haul close its Gordon Highway location?

The closure was part of long-term strategic business planning and demographic shifts.

How many employees were affected by the closure of U-Haul at Gordon Highway?

Four employees were let go due to the closure.

What sustainability initiatives does U-Haul support?

U-Haul supports infill developments to reduce carbon footprints and adaptively reuse existing buildings.