After tragedy struck, Melody Barker chose to carry on her family’s legacy—expanding Barker Keep-Safe Storage and Barker Archives into thriving Warsaw businesses. With grit, grace, and a deep commitment to her community, she turned heartbreak into growth and purpose.
Melody Barker owns and operates Barker Keep-Safe Storage and Barker Archives, both in Warsaw. However, it all began with DeWayne Barker in 1988, who self-started one of the first self-storage facilities in the area.
Melody met DeWayne Barker in 1997, and together they started building more storage units. Melody and DeWayne married in 1999, and the size of the business doubled from then until DeWayne’s passing in 2015. Since 2015, Melody has doubled the volume of business yet again by constructing numerous additional buildings and focusing on customer service.
“I wanted to do something that made sense to me with this area being the Orthopedic Capital of the world,” said Melody. “I wanted a document center for storing documents. We built that together in 2004, and it has grown.”
Tragically, DeWayne passed away in 2015 while boating in Florida.
“It was a shock to all of us, and the question was, do I sell the business or go on?” said Melody. “I decided to continue, and it has been a journey. Now my daughter and five part-time employees help run Barker Keep-Safe Storage. So many things have gone on since then, with more building and buying of properties.”
According to Melody, the most difficult thing she ever faced was the loss of DeWayne and having to suddenly run the family business without his leadership, organization, and business acumen.
“During the stressful and emotional months that followed trying to run the business for the first time without [DeWayne], the Lord sustained [me] through the support and encouragement of friends, family, and business colleagues,” said Melody.
About two years after DeWayne’s passing, Melody was set up on a blind date with Dr. Gregory Haase, who had also lost his spouse the year before.
“On [our] very first encounter, Greg was so smitten and confident that he boldly proclaimed he would fall in love and marry me,” said Melody.
Greg’s prediction came true, and a few months later, Greg and Melody were wed in Chicago.
Barker Keep-Safe Storage is the self-store side of Melody’s business and provides convenient access for area residents with five locations in Warsaw and Winona Lake. Barker Archives was founded in 2003, born from Melody’s desire to build a more diversified business.
“I saw an opportunity to meet the needs of local corporations that generate large volumes of physical documents, which need to be kept safe and accessible for decades,” said Melody.
Melody lives on Chapman Lake and loves the water and boating. Now it is a pontoon on the lake, but for many years, it was a 55-foot Fairline that she and DeWayne would navigate from the Calumet River to the Gulf Coast.
In addition to her daily involvement in running both businesses, Melody is a vocalist and keyboard player. She has written and performed her own songs and played at small clubs throughout the Midwest during the 1990s.
“It is tempting to look at business owners as having it easy,” said Barker. “But what most people don’t see are the years of sacrificing time with family and friends, countless hours of hard work, financial risk, and uncertainty that were invested before they ever made it to that prosperous stage.”
Barker said she feels blessed to live in a country where individuals at least have the opportunity to turn their dreams into reality if they are willing to put in the time and energy it takes to achieve them.
“[My] advice for those who want to pursue the building of a business: always conduct yourself with integrity,” Barker said. “Your words should be true and consistent with your actions. Be more than fair to your customers and employees. Be willing to serve in any capacity, no matter how lowly it feels. Keep a humble and grateful attitude no matter how much success you find.”
Barker Keep-Safe Storage and Barker Archives are located at 1501 W. Center St. in Warsaw. For more information, reach out to Melody at 574-269-1074 or melody@barkerarchives.com.
