CRATE EXPECTATIONS: Containers provide suitable substitute

Laranzo Dacres • Sunday Gleaner Writer

It is not unusual to hear of parties with peculiar names in Jamaica: Hot Mondays, Weddy Weddy Wednesdays, to name a few. Well, move over. Container Satdazs has joined the frame.

Invented more than 50 years ago, containers are central to the global movement of goods and are oftentimes seen attached on the backs of trailers traversing the island's roads.

Containers can be readily converted into houses, businesses or storerooms for a fraction of the cost compared to constructing a similar structure from the ground up.

And, like many other creative businessmen, Ian Miles, proprietor of Miles Wholesale and Retail Liquor Store, however, has given his containers 'roots'.

Located at the corner of Regent and Percy Streets in Denham Town, Kingston, this place is growing into a regular party spot.

"The liquor store comprises four 40-foot containers welded together," Miles said.

Modified

According to the businessman, the containers have undergone significant modifications to accommodate their new assignment.

"Customers nicknamed the building 'Container'," Miles said. "Normally, when a man from the area is going to the store, he would say, 'mi a guh up a Container'," Miles told Automotives.

"Me and my friends kept parties there beginning in the middle of last year, so people started to call us the 'Container Crew'."

Shortly after, the name 'Container' was adopted by Miles as the name of his fortnightly Saturday event.

"People love off the name. We even did some flyers where the graphic artist used a whole heap a containers for the background," he said.

Today, the event, Container Satdazs has become a hot spot for partygoers.

Miles said he intends to add four more containers to his liquor store to turn it into a two-storey establishment.

In explaining how he used the containers to make a sturdy building, Miles said the sides of the containers were cut and welded together, while the customer entrance was created by cutting away the solid structure and replacing it with glass. The awning at the entrance was made from parts of the modified containers.

"The containers were placed on a concrete base, which has since been tiled."

An air-conditioning unit has been added and the roof of each container has been lined with a special material to lower the temperature on the inside and keep the building cool.

"I always wanted to build a liquor store, but never had the funds. So, I bought an old container from the company where I was working cheap, cheap and started to modify it."

As his business grew, the entrepreneur turned his 20-ft container store into a storeroom and started to create a larger store directly in front of the old one across the road. "This time, I started with two 40-foot containers."

Back then, Miles said a 40-ft container cost $240,000.

Cheaper option

Victor Fearon, operations manager of Container Mart Solutions, told Automotives that using containers to create a building is not as expensive as building a traditional store, where expenses incur because of cost of material, supervisors and labourers.

He said today, a 20-ft container, in good condition, can fetch $220,000, while a 40-ft goes for $340,000.

"The convenience of using a container is mainly because it is a ready-made enclosure and the owner can move into it immediately, while making adjustments," he said.

Fearon said the life span of a container is between 35 and 40 years, as it is made of corten steel.

"Unfortunately, after 35 years, it will begin to disintegrate because of carbonisation, which causes gross corrosion."

Creating buildings out of containers is not new, as over time persons seeking a more economical way to house a business have resorted to buying the enclosures for stores, bars, offices and even malls," said Fearon.

But for now, Miles said he is comfortable in his building and is looking forward to staging Container Satdazs over the Easter weekend, under the theme 'A Touch Of Purple'.

"It a go massive man. Easter Saturday a go mad!" Miles added.