Lolita Bader

By Alejandra Zilak

hroughout history, there have always been phrases used to describe synchronicities. “Things happen for a reason,” often brings comfort to people going through hardships. “Trust in the process.” Or, in the words of painter Bob Ross, “There are no mistakes, just happy accidents.”

Lolita Bader’s story is an example of how life can guide you one way for reasons you never expected. It’s also a testament to how we don’t have to pigeonhole ourselves into an industry just because it’s what we’ve always done.

She was born in 1953 in Houma, La., to a big family with three brothers and two older sisters. She played clarinet in junior high and was a cheerleader in high school. “I’ve always thought that being part of a group is so important,” she says. Recognizing the value of community, she joined the dance team at Nicholls State University.

She majored in English, thinking she’d become a teacher. But she met her first husband, got married, and had her first daughter. “We lived in Houma for a couple of years, then moved to Texas when I was 21.” The move was prompted by her husband’s job. She had her second daughter at 28 while living in Corpus Christi. It was around this time that she decided to finish her degree, so she enrolled in Del Mar College.

Then her first marriage ended. Although this period was extremely difficult, she did everything she could to rise above the sadness. “This was in 1986, and a coworker of mine told me about a workshop at his church,” she says. “It was designed to help people navigate and recover from a divorce, especially with children.” She immediately called the church, and as fate would have it, a new session was starting that very night.

The workshop was a godsend, and she decided to go back for following sessions as a volunteer. Two years later, there was a man who attended the class named Joe Bader. He found the experience so valuable that he decided to come back as a volunteer as well. They became good friends, and in 1989, they began dating.

Joe built Bader Mini Storage in 1981, then started Quik Number Door Numbers, which provides custom unit door numbers to self-storage operators, in 1985. At the time, Lolita was a single parent and in need of additional income, so Joe offered her part-time work.

They became best friends and complemented each other so well that they decided to get married in 1995. Within two years, she ended her 12-year insurance career and joined the storage business full time. This would be the beginning of a strong partnership.

After they wed, they decided to change the name of the business. And once again, fate stepped in. “The storage facility next door had a customer who was looking for a unit they didn’t have,” she remembers. The manager told them to see Lolita at “the better place next door.” The business is now called A Better Place Self Storage. Years later, they added a second self-storage business: Above the Lake in Jonestown, Texas.

In 1998, they joined the Texas Self Storage Association (TSSA). “In 2000, I became an at-large board member. Over the course of the next 12 years, I worked on almost every committee, as well as becoming secretary, vice president, and president,” says Lolita.

She traveled throughout the state with other board leaders. Together, they’d teach seminars to new facility owners, developers, and managers on how to run a successful facility while complying with all relevant laws.

This taught her the ability to connect with an audience. “I would start by asking people to share some of the weirdest experiences they’ve had in the industry,” she says. “Several hands would go up, and soon enough, we’d all be laughing. It was a great way to set the mood.”

This was a time she remembers fondly. “We met some amazing people,” she adds, “and I truly enjoyed every minute of it.”

If you thought that juggling three businesses would be enough to keep her busy after her time at the TSSA, think again. “In 2012, I was hearing a lot about beekeeping, so I decided to take beekeeping courses,” she says, noting that something unexpected occurred. “The classes were always full. We thought that was strange, so we looked into it.” It turned out that a new law had been passed that same year enabling people who met certain requirements to lower their property taxes by keeping honeybees on their property.

“We can do that!” they thought. They joined the Texas Beekeeping Association, along with two local beekeeping clubs, so they could learn as much as possible. And what they found fascinated them. “They are such unique animals,” she shares, her voice picking up, which happens when talking about something you love. “Their honey is the only food produced by an insect that is edible and nutritional but that also has antiseptic qualities.” These facts are just the tip of the iceberg.

She’s also impressed by how well honeybees work together. “The queen, the drone, and the workers all work together as one single organism, and the queen and drone can’t survive without the workers.” Honey is also something that goes hand in hand with her faith. “The land of milk and honey is also mentioned in The Bible,” she says.

They both studied hard and passed their tests to become Advanced Master Beekeepers. Her enthusiasm is a strong reminder of always doing what you love, and that just because the bulk of your experience is in one area, it doesn’t mean you can’t venture into a completely unrelated one.

Once they were able to obtain a special Agricultural Valuation for Beekeeping on their property, they started BeePeaceful Colony Management (beepeaceful.com) to help others learn about the importance of bees while lowering their property tax.

Lolita believes in being focused on what you want to accomplish. When asked what she’d tell others who’d like to get into self-storage, she’s quick to reply. “Decide what your mission is going to be. Get yourself trained and knowledgeable. Do what we did with beekeeping. Find out everything you can. You don’t need to keep everything you learn, but you need to know what’s relevant and do it well. And above all, treat each customer with kindness and respect.”

If you’re coming in as a manager, she stresses the importance of doing walkthroughs of the facilities, looking at them as if you were a tenant. “What are the things you could improve upon? What are the pluses?”

Moreover, never assume that a new facility is run like your previous one. “Learn about this new place,” she says. “If the new owner wants to know about how things were done at your previous place, then bring it up. It’s hard to unlearn something, but the new owner’s different.”

Most importantly, don’t let issues fester. “A lot of problems are either due to miscommunications or no communication at all,” she adds.

As of the time of this writing, Lolita is about to turn 71. She shares that the key to living a happy life is to have dear friends, keeping family close, and hanging on to those good relationships. “I travel hundreds of miles each year to see my friends and family,” she says. “One of my sweet sisters passed away recently. That last year of her life, you would’ve thought she was an angel. She was just so beautiful. There’s no doubt she’s in heaven, and my faith lets me know I will see her again someday.”

She’s also very close to her other sister, who’s in her mid-80s. “Last year, she wanted to go to Israel with a church group, and I went with her because I wanted to make sure she’d be OK. We made the most wonderful memories, and I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”

Lolita and Joe have been married and worked together for more than 29 years. They have traveled all over, but their favorite sites are the ones with family. They have been abundantly blessed with three daughters, seven grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. Just recently, they found out there will be two more great grandchildren joining their lives in early 2025. In her words, “God is good!”