Public Storage operates as a real estate investment trust. The firm engages in acquiring, developing, owning and operating self-storage facilities. It operates through the following segments: Self-storage Operations, Ancillary Operations, Investment in PS Business Parks and Investment in Shurgard. The Self-storage Operations segment reflects the rental operations from all self-storage facilities. The Ancillary Operations segment deals with the sale of merchandise and reinsurance of policies against losses to goods stored by self-storage tenants, activities which are incidental to the primary self-storage rental activities. The Investment in PS Business Parks segment includes commercial properties, primarily multi-tenant flex, office, and industrial parks. The Investment in Shurgard segment owns self-storage facilities located in seven countries in Western Europe operated under the Shurgard brand name. The company was founded by Bradley Wayne Hughes, Sr. and Kenneth Q. Volk, Jr. in 1972 and is headquartered in Glendale, CA.