Performance enthusiasts have found the perfect space to house their cars, trucks, boats and more at Toy Barn, where each unit is individually owned and a community is guaranteed. Founded in 2008 by father-son duo Jason Wesley Phillips and Paul Wesley Phillips, Toy Barn has identified a market for premium vehicle storage that has only continued to grow over the past 15 years. At eight locations, spanning over 700,000 square feet of storage, Toy Barn is providing climate-controlled units with customizable features like lofts, kitchens and bathrooms.
The Phillips’ vision has not only created an upscale storage solution but also a community for like-minded individuals. AZRE sat down with Jason Wesley Phillips to discuss the growth of Toy Barn, his commercial real estate expertise, and his impact on the local Valley market.
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AZRE: What inspired you and your father to start Toy Barn?
Jason Wesley Phillips: In 2008, when we started planning the first community, it was a small niche market. We first noticed it was growing in the Southeast Valley, in the Chandler area. We had identified a site to serve North Scottsdale in 2008 and began planning our first community. The concept was really starting to be built around town, but it wasn’t being built in the Northeast Valley.
AZRE: A big point of Toy Barn’s marketing is the concept that it’s not just storage — you guys are creating a community. How do you foster that sense of community?
JWP: The success of the Toy Barn is built around the community aspect. The clubhouse and owner’s lounge serve as the social hub and meeting place for the whole of every community.
Additionally, we try to do several events throughout the year. We host monthly “Cars and Coffee” events, community breakfasts and we bring in guys with the latest and greatest car monthly. That’s how we build the community — we really try to cultivate everything around our clubhouses and social events.
AZRE: How have you seen the demand for specialized storage solutions evolve, and what has been the biggest challenge in scaling the business?
JWP: We’ve dovetailed into the growth of the Valley over the last 15 years. People continue to move here and need specialized storage space — and we continue to provide that. The demand hasn’t softened, so we keep growing.
The biggest challenge recently has been that the price of land has skyrocketed in the last few years. That increase has put pressure on our pricing models, Same with the inflation we’ve seen over the past few years. It costs a lot more to bring these products to market today than it did even three years ago. So, we need to continue educating people on that dynamic of the overall real estate market. The areas that we like to build in are convenient locations close to home and the office, and to do that, we have to pay a premium for our land sites.
