by John Stevens
November 9, 2010 6:15 PM
Often treasures abound in abandoned storage units and Hollywood has decided to permanently shine its camera lights on the storage industry for a show where the hosts act like gold-seeking hunters, making their way from auction to auction. It is an unfortunate and not so frequent occurrence when a customer stops paying rent and has their storage unit repossessed. But for those seeking a big pay out on the contents of these storage units, it is pure joy when they strike it rich.
The show will be presented by A&E and is called “Storage Wars.” The 12-episode, half-hour series, will begin Wed., Dec. 1, 2010 at 10PM eastern. The name of the first season is “Get Rich or Die Buyin’” With only a beam of a flashlight, the bidders get a quick peek inside the units. They must immediately decide if the unit is worth a bid and how high they will go to win the potentially valuable loot inside. The true excitement begins as the contents of the storage unit are sifted through and whether any items of value surface.
There is always an eclectic mix when a storage unit is opened. Knowing what is valuable and what is not, is part of the game that the four professional buyers face for the new TV show. The cast of buyers are as interesting and exciting to follow as the unique items they uncover. In one episode they pay ten dollars for something valued in the millions.
The buyers try to out fox one another to see who has unearthed the best storage loot. In separate episodes Darrell Sheets hits the jackpot and finds a unit filled with gold and silver, and after buying a unit for $800, David Hester pulls in $40,000. Collector Barry Weiss unearths everything from micro-cars to shrunken heads, while newbie Jarrod Schulz tries desperately to keep his business afloat with his earnings. “Storage Wars” is produced by Original Productions (“Ice Road Truckers and “Deadliest Catch”) for A&E Network. It was conceived and driven by Dan Dotson, one of the most successful and outrageous auctioneers in the country.
A member of the on-line forum, Self-Storage Talk, announced anonymously that A&E would be filming at her facility, Inland Empire Facility in southern California, later this month. She is excited about the name recognition and marketing that goes along with appearing on a national TV show. She is cognizant, though, that her auction must run smoothly because the audience could be immense and she wants her company shown in a professional and successful light.
Sources Used:
“Show Guide ‘Storage Wars’” Hot News. 2010.
“A&E to Film Auction at Southern California Self-Storage Facility.” Inside Self-Storage. Nov. 1, 2010.