For over two decades, Collegeboxes has been committed to creating a seamless moving experience for college students and schools alike. Catering to the unique shipping and storage needs of every customer is our specialty, and we’ve been setting the industry standard since our inception.
Becoming the leading student storage provider doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, our 20-year history is full of hard work, creativity, and a whole lot of passion. Buckle up and get ready to drive down memory lane, it’s time to learn about why Collegeboxes is called the original student storage company.
Created in a Classroom
We’re taking it all the way back to the year 1999, at Duke University. Collegeboxes wasn’t just created for college students, it was created by college students. In fact, it all began as an assignment.
Arnaud Karsenti was an engineering major enrolled in an Aesthetic, Design, and Culture class. One day, Karsenti was tasked with the assignment to design anything, and he chose to design a business.
Karsenti knew firsthand about the struggles of limited student storage, especially when you had to cart everything back and forth between campus and your family home. So, for his project, he came up with Dukeboxes, the summer storage solution for Duke students.
Dukeboxes.com was a unique storage service that would pick up furniture from college students directly at their door and store it for them over the summer. Couches, microwaves, and bikes would be stored in a secure location near campus. And all items would be promptly returned once the student came back from break.
Two Heads are Better than One
Karsenti wasn’t the only person with this idea, though. Through a mutual friend, Karsenti was able to meet the brainchild behind an in-state competitor, Maria Velissaris. She created a project centered on providing storage to the students at Wake Forest University. She even called it “Wakeboxes.” Talk about a coincidence!
Both young entrepreneurs knew that if they worked together, they could reach new heights, so they decided to consolidate into one unified company. And thus, Collegeboxes was born. Through passion and a need to succeed, this group of college students charged full speed ahead toward providing affordable storage options to a wider scope of students.
The idea spread like wildfire. At first, they had 400 customers. By the time the founders graduated, over 1,500 customers. Within five years, Collegeboxes was serving over 7,000 students and working with 45 schools. Now, that should show you the importance of doing your homework!
Trailblazers by Nature
We’re no strangers to setting trends. In fact, we’ve always tended to race ahead and set industry standards with our practices. Here are a few ideas that were uniquely our own:
The Student Supply Kit: We knew that students don’t have the time to go searching for quality packing supplies. So, we went ahead and designed high quality, double-walled boxes that were built to last. Each box can hold up to 106 pounds. With five boxes in each kit, that’s more than enough space to pack up a dorm. We also threw in extra goodies to make sure all your items are safe, labeled, and ready for transit.
Dorm Pick Up and Delivery: We’ve never been afraid of meeting people where they’re at. That’s why we’re the first to offer pickup and delivery at dorm rooms. We even partner with schools to create a seamless process that works for everyone. And if students don’t see their school listed, we always offer direct shipping options, too.
Ship to School Service: Our innovative service allows students to ship their items directly to a U-Haul storage location near their campus. Their belongings are stored in a safe, climate-controlled facility until move-in day. Then our staff delivers everything directly to their door. Better yet, this entire process can be tracked and managed through their Collegeboxes account.
Passion Meets Experience
In late 2009, Collegeboxes was bought by U-Haul. This acquisition helped Collegeboxes take our business to a larger scale, providing more storage, shipping, and delivery options than ever before. It also gave our customers access to U-Haul rentals like trucks, U-Box containers, storage rooms, and even the extensive Moving Help Marketplace. We can officially say that no student storage company can offer quite as much as we can, especially at our prices.
U-Haul knows a thing or two about the importance of experience. With over 75 years in the business, they managed to adapt to the ever-changing demands of their customers. Their constant innovation and development are what keeps them ahead of the curve, and what makes them the perfect partner for Collegeboxes.
Are you a college student getting ready to move? Well, we got you covered! From storage, to shipping to school, to shipping year-round, we protect your belongings and make sure they get to you safely. Whatever you need, whenever you need; we’re here to help share the load.