A flex space is generally any commercial unit that offers a combination of usable office space and open industrial/storage space in a single building. In practical terms, a flex space often resembles a small warehouse with an office built into it.
This means most of the space is an open warehouse-style area (with high ceilings and a large entry door for loading), plus a finished section for an office and basic facilities.

Because of this setup, flex spaces can serve many purposes. They’re “flexible” by design, so a tenant might use the warehouse portion for storage, distribution, or light manufacturing while using the office portion for administrative work or a showroom. Essentially, any space that combines an office workplace with a warehouse/storage component and can be adapted to different uses would be considered a flex space. This could range from a small business workshop with an attached office to a larger unit housing a company’s inventory in the back and a sales/service office in the front. The built-in flexibility to handle business operations and storage/production defines a flex space.

The cost of a storage unit in College Station (at Straub Road RV & Self Storage) depends on the unit size you need. Straub Road offers a range of unit sizes with monthly rates as follows:

• 5×10 ft. unit – approximately $69 per month​.
• 10×10 ft. unit – approximately $99 per month​.
• 10×15 ft. unit – approximately $119 per month​.
• 10×20 ft. unit – around $169 per month​.
• 10×30 ft. unit – around $209 per month​.

These prices give a sense of the range for standard self-storage units in the College Station facility. Smaller units (suitable for a dorm room or one-bedroom apartment’s contents) are on the lower end, while larger units (for a two-bedroom house’s worth of items or business storage) cost more per month.

Straub Road offers regular storage units as well as vehicle and RV storage. For reference, outdoor parking spaces for RVs/boats start at about $40 per month for an uncovered spot​. Covered or enclosed parking options are available at higher price points (for example, covered RV spots with electricity are priced higher).

Remember that these rates are specific to Straub Road RV and Self Storage in College Station and are current as listed on their website – prices might vary at other facilities or change over time. Always check the latest pricing or contact the storage facility for the most up-to-date information on unit availability and cost​.

Flex space provides a single space that can fulfill multiple roles for a business, thanks to its adaptable design. In a flex space, a company has room to set up offices and space for more industrial or storage needs, all under the same roof​. It is straightforward: lease and configure a flex space unit to suit your operations. Part of the unit will typically be finished as an office (with standard doors, flooring, lighting, etc. for desks and meetings), and the rest is an open unfinished area like a warehouse (with a big roll-up garage door and high ceilings for storing goods, equipment, or doing work that requires space). Because the layout is open and not fixed, the tenant can arrange or build it out as needed – for example, installing shelving in the warehouse area or even building extra offices or a mezzanine floor inside the unit if more offices or storage levels are required​.

One of the key aspects of how flex space works is adaptability over time. Businesses can easily reconfigure the space as their needs change. If your business grows, a flex space often allows you to add more storage racks or create additional office cubicles within the existing footprint. If you need more room, many flex spaces are part of a larger complex, so sometimes adjacent units can be leased to expand seamlessly. Conversely, if a business needs to scale down, the open nature of flex space means you’re not stuck with unusable specialized areas – you simply use less of the space. This scalability means a company can expand or contract operations without moving to a new location every time, making flex spaces very convenient for growing businesses

Retail space and flex space are both types of commercial real estate, but they serve very different purposes and are designed differently.

• Retail Space: It is for businesses that sell directly to consumers in a storefront setting. Retail spaces are typically customer-facing environments – think of shops in a shopping center or stand-alone stores on a street. They emphasize location and foot traffic, inviting interiors, and window displays to attract shoppers​. A retail space usually doesn’t include a large warehouse area; instead, it might have a showroom or sales floor in front and a small stockroom in the back for inventory. The primary function of retail space is to provide a convenient and appealing place for customers to browse and purchase products or services. Examples include clothing boutiques, grocery stores, restaurants, etc., where the public comes in to do business.

• Flex Space: Intended for flexible business operations and typically combines an office area with a warehouse/industrial area in one unit​. Flex spaces are usually not designed for heavy walk-in consumer traffic or on-the-spot sales like a retail store is. Instead, they cater to businesses that need workspace for employees and storage/production space for goods or equipment. A flex space might be located in an industrial or commercial business park rather than a shopping mall. It often features high roll-up doors, high ceilings, open floor space (for working or storage), and a finished office section for meetings, desks, and administrative work​. This setup is ideal for companies like distributors, small manufacturers, research labs, contractors, or startups that don’t rely on customer storefront visits.