- Storage
- Workshop Space
- Office Space
- Distribution Centers
- Studios
- Flex Spaces
- Retail Spaces and Material Showrooms
Running a startup or small business? You’re already juggling everything from marketing and sales to customer service and operations. The last thing you need is a workspace that’s holding you back.
Maybe you’re working out of a garage stuffed to the rafters, sorting through disorganized inventory to fulfill orders, or missing out on opportunities because you lack the space to grow. You’re not alone. Many small businesses find themselves stuck between the limitations of a home office, basement, or garage and the overwhelming costs of a large industrial warehouse.
But what if there was a better option? A flexible space that adapts to your changing needs while fitting your budget?
Let’s explore real-world examples of how businesses like yours use small warehouse space and its many benefits to thrive. From streamlining operations to creating unique customer experiences, you’ll discover how these spaces can help you grow!
1. Storage
Let’s face it — storage may not be the most exciting conversation topic, but the more your business grows, the more stuff it collects. Storage can quickly become a major issue as you scale, and there’s suddenly not enough room for all the equipment, documents, inventory or materials that prove you’re thriving.
But what if you could get the extra storage space you want without overpaying for a lot of room you don’t need? That’s where small warehouses excel. With various unit sizes available, they offer a flexible way to align storage space with business needs and scale it as those change.
For example, a local e-commerce business could use a nearby small warehouse to store its growing inventory of products. Moving the bulk of inventory out of the cramped garage frees up space for better organization, streamlining fulfillment instead of bogging it down. The ability to add another unit at any time lets the owner keep pace quickly as the business grows.
2. Workshop Space
If you’ve been trying to squeeze your workshop into a musty basement or cramped garage, you know how frustrating it can be. Poor lighting, limited floor space and inadequate ventilation are common challenges for growing businesses trying to operate that way.
Sound like you? Consider light production in a small warehouse instead. For example, a furniture maker might convert a unit into a workshop for his custom creations once the operation begins to outgrow his basement. This move would allow him to bring in new equipment, boosting his output and product quality.
3. Office Space
Tired of stuffy, overpriced office spaces? Finding the right place to carry out the administrative tasks that keep operations running smoothly can be a real challenge for growing businesses on a tight budget.
How about transforming a small warehouse into unique and affordable office space instead? That’s what Legacy Fire Protection did. The company quickly outgrew its administrative operations in an apartment, but needed a place that supported credibility and business expansion. Their small warehouse became the office space they were looking for, with a layout customized to their needs and the capability to evolve with their growth.
4. Distribution Centers
Customers today expect lightning-fast deliveries, but managing distribution logistics for e-commerce and delivery service businesses to make that happen can be costly and complex without careful planning. You need a way to keep goods close to customers without inflexible leases and larger-than-necessary industrial spaces.
Small warehouses make affordable, practical local distribution hubs. These units help keep your goods closer to the last-mile delivery, improving customer satisfaction through reduced shipping times and costs. You can tailor the space to your specific product lineup and fulfillment processes for even more efficiency.
For example, a local subscription box service might choose a nearby small warehouse as its distribution center for assembling and shipping monthly boxes — a big improvement over trying to do the same thing in the owner’s spare bedroom. The move also offers the business more shipping options than it had previously, as the owner can ship faster and cheaper with a local courier.
5. Studios
The right studio space for artistic pursuits, hobbies and well-being activities should be functional, inspiring and affordable — all the things costly traditional studios seldom offer.
Small warehouses are up to the task, with features like flexible leases and high ceilings. Consider them blank slates ready for transformation into your photography, teaching or physical fitness studio.
These spaces are also perfect for media production. Just ask Foot Doctor Zach, a popular YouTube figure whose content creation needed a better environment than his garage or basement provided. His small warehouse became the flexible space he needed for a dedicated studio, removing the barriers to consistent production and brand growth.
6. Flex Spaces
Managing teams across locations can be a logistical headache, especially as you scale. Separate sites often mean inefficiencies, increased costs and communication breakdowns across the team — none of which a growing business can afford.
Imagine what you could achieve if you could bring everyone together in a single location! Small warehouse flex spaces make that possible, with affordable office or showroom space attached to a warehouse you can use for production, storage and back-of-the-house operations. Better collaboration? Check. Reduced costs? Check. A professional business image? Check.
One of our tenants, Florals by Patty, found a major advantage in our flex space, which gave her the versatility to have both workshop and studio in one location. By relocating operations from her home, Florals by Patty scaled up to designing floral masterpieces for over 35 weddings yearly!
7. Retail Spaces and Material Showrooms
Between high costs and inflexible leases, finding the right retail or showroom space for your products can be challenging. A small warehouse bay eliminates those issues, with flexible layouts that adapt to your creative visions.
A tenant in our Columbus location turned a plain warehouse bay into a sleek boutique for her vintage clothing line. The front half is a showroom with custom racks and lighting, and the back is for inventory and packing orders. It’s not just cheaper than a strip mall — it’s hers to shape, without a long lease or landlord telling her what signs she can hang. If you’ve been waiting for a space that lets you run your retail business your way, this might be it.
Archadeck found similar success in Indianapolis. When its owner was ready to scale, he knew that having a showroom for customers to look at and handle materials was a key to his company’s growth. The right unit filled this need, becoming the professional, centralized place to showcase his brand. Customers can now visit to see his high-quality materials firsthand and make more confident investments in their outdoor living spaces.
Find Your Ideal Space With RISE Commercial District
Whether you need storage, a centralized operations hub, or simply more space to spread out and grow, there are plenty of reasons to use small warehouse space for your business.
RISE Commercial District has many options available in Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Each comes with amenities like electricity, shared conference rooms, a community forklift and complete support for your success. When you work with us, you’ll never be alone. We’re here at every step, and you’ll be part of a thriving network of business owners and operators like you.
Let’s get started finding the right space for your company — connect with our experts online or take a tour of a nearby location to see our spaces for yourself!
