When founder Don Temple talked about his world, it was in a sort of easygoing manner that belies the amazing life he had. His voice rang with enthusiasm and emotion when he touched on subjects as varied as flying around the world, helping to revive a local hospital, assisting a Russian teen in getting an American education and, of course, being at the forefront of self storage.
Don was a man who loved what he did, both in his work and his private life. He appreciated what he earned because he was a man willing to take some chances, notably when he entered the realm of self storage in 1968. Few people in the United States in the mid 1960s even thought about the concept of storing their valuables anywhere but their homes. In later years he dedicated much time in giving back to the community that supported his enterprises. In September 2009 Don was inducted into the Self Storage Hall of Fame. When he passed in 2013, it was just five years short of the company’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Sumer A. Temple
3750 E. Spring St., Long Beach, California 90806 |
(562) 426-5555 | sumer@dontemplestorage.com
Sumer Temple is the owner of Temple Family Enterprises, which encompasses Don Temple Storage, Long Beach U Store & Lock, The Temple Center and other commercial real estate properties within the City of Long Beach.
Sumer was raised in Long Beach and is a graduate of Poly High School’s CIC program. After high school she attended LBCC and later transferred to Chapman University, attaining her BA in Communication with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership.
Don incorporated Sumer into the business at a young age, bringing her to work with him from as far back as she can remember. As a teen, Don put Sumer to work, starting at the bottom, as front desk clerk and cleaning empty units. After college, Sumer returned to her family business with the intention of carrying on the business and legacy her father had created.
Since Don’s passing, Sumer has managed their two remaining facilities and commercial properties. In 2015, Sumer oversaw nearly $11 million dollars in real estate transactions and in 2022, facilitated the honor of Don Temple Storage reaching the ranks of a million dollar company, an achievement only 9% of small businesses will ever accomplish (according to SBA’s 2022 report).
Sumer’s community involvement includes Chair of the 2024-2025 Board of Directors at the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce; President-Elect of the LBCC Foundation; Chair of the Citizens’ Oversight Committee at LBCC representing the local business community, Vice President of the Rotary Club of Long Beach and Vice Chair of PLAY Long Beach. Sumer serves as an Advisory Board Member on the Marketing Committee and Grants Committee at the Long Beach Community Foundation. She additionally sits on the boards of The Chambers Women’s Business Council, Autism Partnership Foundation, Justin Rudds’ Community Action Team and is a member of the Steering Committee at Long Beach Gives. She is a member of the Executives Association of Long Beach, the National Self Storage Association and the California Self-Storage Association.
Sumer has been recognized by the Chambers Women’s Business Council as a Women of Excellence in Business and by the Long Beach Branch NAACP with the Zelma Lipscomb award.
