The Burden of Living Expenses Leads to a Surge in 'Storage' Demand... Second Syndrome, 'Mini Storage Attic' Launches Simultaneously at 5 Locations

Recently, as the number of single-person households has increased and housing costs have soared, the demand for 'minimalist living' aimed at efficiently utilizing limited living space has surged. Amid this market trend, the leading self-storage company in South Korea has aggressively expanded by opening new branches in key metropolitan areas in succession.

Second Syndrome announced that it has strengthened its national network by opening 5 new branches of its storage logistics service brand 'Mini Storage Attic'. The newly opened branches are located in Gimpo Poongmu, Jonghwa-dong, Gaepo, Yeonsu, and Seokmori, evenly distributed in key metropolitan areas such as Seoul, Incheon, and Gimpo in Gyeonggi Province. This solidifies Second Syndrome's position as the industry leader with the most locations in the country.

This new opening is significant as it demonstrates the ability to breathe new life into unused spaces in the city through 'space rebuilding' rather than just simple branch expansion. In fact, the Gimpo Poongmu, Gaepo, and Yeonsu branches utilized commercial spaces that had been left vacant for long periods, while the Jonghwa-dong branch transformed an uninhabited semi-basement residence into a modern storage space. Seokmori branch upgraded an aging warehouse facility in the suburbs by incorporating advanced Internet of Things (IoT) technology into its remodeling. This has garnered attention as a new alternative to address the emerging social issues of vacant commercial spaces and deteriorating homes in urban areas.

(Photo = Second Syndrome) Interior of the Mini Storage Attic branch. It provides an optimal storage environment where customers can confidently store their items through an AIoT technology-based unmanned automation solution.

The core competitiveness of Mini Storage Attic lies in its 'fully unmanned automation system' based on unparalleled technological capabilities. A 24-hour unmanned operation is maintained by establishing an 'AIoT'-based Space Intelligence system that combines artificial intelligence and IoT technology at all locations. The central control system monitors the temperature and humidity inside the branches in real-time to maintain an environment optimized for stored goods, and it has a security system capable of immediate response in the event of any anomalies.

Usability for users has also been maximized. Through the only exclusive mobile application (app) in the country, the entire process from contract to payment, access, and use can be handled non-face-to-face. Particularly, the 'tour feature' within the app allows customers to preview the size of the storage unit and the movement flow in 3D before visiting, garnering high customer response. Thanks to such convenience, various customer groups including individual consumers, small business owners, and online sellers have been attracted, with the average usage period per customer reaching about 11 months, indicating a high proportion of long-term use.

A spokesperson for Second Syndrome stated, "As living costs rise, there is a steady increase in demand to enhance living comfort by utilizing external space instead of expanding living area," and added, "With last year's amendment of the Building Act providing a foundation for self-storage operations in urban areas, we will continue to focus on discovering unused spaces throughout the city to enhance customers' living convenience."