Bidding on storage auctions is a way of life,
though not everyone from "Storage Wars" continued down that path.
In an interview with HuffPost, Laura Dotson described her initial encounter
with Dan as love at first sight. From meeting at an auction in 1996,
the two went on to become lovers and lifelong business partners,
according to American Auctioneers. Their success together ultimately led to their involvement
in "Storage Wars." Although the show became immensely successful after its debut in 2010,
our favorite power couple would depart from the series in Season 10 due to A&E's budget issues.
Following "Storage Wars," they went back to running their company, American Auctioneers,
full-time. That is, until the show made its return in 2021,
leading the duo to resume their on-screen ventures. Their success,
however, was met with several scary moments they're still cognizant of to this day.
In addition to Dan suffering a double brain aneurysm and nearly losing a finger from a
dog fight, the couple almost lost their son, Garrett, to gun violence in 2020,
according to TMZ. Dan took to Facebook on September 13, 2022, to pen a statement:
"Laura and I are so thankful God spared our son this day,
two years ago. The shooter was caught, found guilty, and sentenced to 10.5 years."
Nowadays, the two seemingly remain as optimistic and
driven as they were before their newfound fame.
From successful wholesale business owner to professional bidder, Barry Weiss would find
his way onto "Storage Wars" the same year it debuted. "The Collector" himself would use the
popularity he garnered over the show to star in a spinoff titled "Barry'd Treasure." The show,
however, would be taken off the air the same year it premiered due to poor
performance. Weiss would ultimately leave the world of reality shows.
As TMZ reports, in 2019, he was involved in a motorcycle accident that left him needing
several surgeries. Since his accident, it seems that Weiss has been taking it slow;
with "Storage Wars" returning in 2021, fans questioned whether or not we'd see
our favorite treasure collector back on TV again. Fortunately, Weiss returned on the show's Season
14 premiere. After a lengthy rehabilitation period, Weiss appeared to be in good spirits,
stating that he was ready to get back into his antique hunting routine. In a promo, he said,
"In the last seven years, a lot of stuff has changed with me. I've been working with a
bidding coach. I completely cut out arugula. I feel like a completely born-again bidder."
Fans and co-stars alike could agree that Dave Hester was the main antagonist of
"Storage Wars." Despite having the show's most notable catchphrase,
he's been known to ruffle the feathers of anyone he is around.
"YUUUP"
According to Los Angeles Times, his three-year stint culminated in a courtroom showdown where
he accused A&E of faking the show's drama. Although reports said he'd been fired,
the treasure hunter found his way back onto the roster for Season 5. Then, in 2018,
Hester suffered a stroke that landed him in the hospital for days, according to TMZ. This
near-death experience left him having to relearn tasks like walking and showering.
While Hester was able to return for Season 12, the show's brief hiatus influenced him to shift
his focus from reality TV to his auctioning business. Since he was absent for the recent
seasons of "Storage Wars," many have assumed he left the world of storage auctions altogether.
According to his Twitter, however, Hester is still very active in his local auctioning community,
often promoting his appearances at auctions in California. It seems that Hester has happily
stepped away from the life of a reality TV star to indulge in his passion on his own terms.
Coming from a background of mixed martial arts and arena football,
Ivy Calvin brought an edge to the competitive nature of "Storage Wars" in Season 3. Before
his full-time gig as a televised treasure hunter, the king of Palmdale developed a
passion for second hand storage items. He would travel from state to state in hopes of attaining
rare merchandise for his California-based thrift store, Grandma's Attic. His involvement
in "Storage Wars" brought attention to his business, allowing him to earn a steady paycheck
outside of reality TV. Co-stars Rene and Casey Nezhoda even visited his thrift store in 2020,
where they stumbled upon vintage toys, sphere radios, straight razors, and more.
"But look, it's marked with 8, but he goes like 'Rene, you and me go way back, it's $10 for you."
"How do you feel about that Ivy?"
"Gotta make him pay gas gas mileage."
The show's hiatus in 2019 would leave Calvin to
operate his business full-time. His break from "Storage Wars" also gave
him more time to spend with his wife and two sons, according to Distractify.
Aside from his business, much remains unknown about the life he leads outside
of auctioning. Despite this, the no-nonsense buyer himself appears to be active on Instagram,
promoting his thrift store and showing off his latest finds,
ranging from Pokémon cards to prime Michael Kors handbags.
With an illustrious treasure-hunting career under his belt, Darrell Sheets
took interest in showcasing his strokes of luck on "Storage Wars." From his collection
of comic books to coming across Frank Gutierrez works valued at $300,000,
"the Gambler" has made it known that he is a master of his craft. Unfortunately,
the highs he would experience wouldn't prepare him for the lows he would face in 2019. That year,
Sheets announced that he'd had a heart attack. According to his Instagram,
the severity of the health issue meant that he had to undergo heart surgery. In the post, he stated,
"Thank you for all the well wishes I am going to give this 100% and regenerate this good old heart,
I will not give up I’ve come too far and I have had [an] incredibly wonderful life."
Ever since his health scare, Darrell Sheets has appeared to be enjoying his life as a
retired buyer. Residing in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, Sheets remains active on Instagram,
penning sentimental posts about his granddaughter, Zoie, and longtime partner, Kimber. Despite this,
Sheets would make his return on-screen for Seasons 13 and 14 of "Storage Wars." Although his cameos
on the show remain limited, Sheets seems to be in good spirits about the life he leads now.
Notably known as "Sidebet" — and son of fellow cast member Darrell Sheets — Brandon Sheets has
been part of the main cast of "Storage Wars" from its debut all the way to Season 9. His
departure from the show saw many fans speculate whether or not he was on good terms with its
creators. With A&E facing financial issues, the company decided to make some pay cuts,
which ultimately led to Brandon's termination. As TV Shows Ace reports,
he expressed his bitterness about this on his now-deleted Twitter.
Although his relationship with A&E has soured,
Brandon Sheets was able to adapt to the sudden change of direction. According to his Facebook,
he became a licensed real estate agent in Arizona. This appeared to be short-lived,
however, as his Facebook profile states that he's no longer providing real estate services.
According to his Instagram, Brandon is now a UPS driver and "family man." While "Storage Wars"
found its way back on the air in 2021, Brandon seemingly left that part of his life in the past.
Kenny Crossley wouldn't find reality TV success until Season 3 of "Storage Wars."
As jovial as he was, this praline king had a career in law enforcement well before his job
as a storage facility manager, reports A&E. His involvement in the world of auctions would find
him meeting with successful business owner Barry Weiss, with whom he would form a strong bond.
Although Kenny Crossley was a late addition to "Storage Wars," he quickly made his way
into our hearts with his sharp-witted catchphrases and genuine personality.
Since the show's brief hiatus in 2019, fans have been keen to see how many interests he
actually has. Crossley used his time during the pandemic to indulge in his
creative passions such as uploading beats under the name "Dualpersona" and creating
a YouTube channel where he expresses his love for everyday cuisines. His passion for food, however,
would later be the catalyst for a big change. In an Instagram video posted on August 31,
2022, Crossley revealed that he is embarking on his own weight-loss journey. He stated,
"I think it's that time ... it's that time to change the way I'm eating and
everything and you know give myself a gift."
We can't help but cheer Crossley on, as this is an incredible feat.
A&E's attempt to capitalize on the popularity of "Storage Wars" saw them curate several spinoffs
that were based in states other than California. One followed local treasure hunters in Texas,
which resulted in a new cast member who would later join the original crew of
buyers. Nicknamed "the Junkster," Mary Padian's ability to refurbish rare finds
caught the attention of the show's producers, culminating in her inclusion in Season 5.
With "Storage Wars" going off the air in 2019, Padian went back to the life she led
before her on-screen obligations. Thanks to her involvement in "Storage Wars," she was able to
find success with her store, "Mary's Finds." From vintage home décor to philanthropic bracelets,
Padian has since been updating her online catalog to cater to her fanbase. In 2022,
however, it appears that she's focused on using her platform to promote companies she believes in,
such as environmentally friendly and women-owned brands. Though it's unclear
as to why she was absent for Season 14 of "Storage Wars," it seems that
our favorite bright-eyed "Junkster" is living her best life outside of reality television.
The weekly episodic airing of "Storage Wars" would be home to our favorite quarreling couple,
Jarrod Schulz and Brandi Passante. From meeting at
a carpet-cleaning company in 1999 to attending auctions together,
the unlikely pair quickly became fan favorites. This ultimately drove A&E to capitalize on their
popularity by giving them their own show, "Brandi and Jarrod: Married to the Job."
Fans thought the return of "Storage Wars" in 2021 meant that we would see the quick-witted
couple pursue their televised treasure-hunting passions together. This wouldn't be the case,
however, as Passante revealed in a confessional that the two broke up in 2018. Nonetheless,
Schulz was certain that their separation wouldn't affect their on-screen pursuits, stating,
"Just because me and Brandi aren't together
anymore doesn't mean we can't go to an auction — but separately."
Outside the show, Schulz owned a clothing company, Outlaw Apparel, and currently has a restaurant,
The Rush Bar and Grill. Despite the "Young Gun" moving on, an altercation with Passante would
result in a domestic violence charge against him, according to TMZ. Although the incident
took place in 2021, this may have been the reason for his absence in Season 14 of "Storage Wars."
As for Passante, she was able to find success outside of her full-time gig as a treasure
hunter. In 2021, it was revealed that, due to her great rapport with Hammer Brunch,
she would make regular appearances on the podcast "Happening Now with Hammer," and she's appeared
in almost every weekly episode since. In 2022, Passante even brought her co-stars
on the podcast to share stories about how they were all chosen for "Storage Wars."
Forming a love for second hand bargains at the age of 11,
Rene Nezhoda went on to co-own Bargain Hunters Thrift Store with his wife Casey.
This ultimately led to their rise as televised treasure hunters. As their popularity grew,
they capitalized on their ever-growing fame by creating a YouTube channel.
During their off-screen pursuits, they've purchased storage units containing vintage
souvenirs from well-known celebrities like Farrah Fawcett. At one point,
they even obtained items worn by Kobe Bryant. On December 27, 2022,
Rene took to Instagram to announce that he would be selling the last pieces of what he
had from Bryant's storage unit on Whatnot — an online marketplace for second hand merchandise.
Outside of their passion for reselling, Rene and Casey regularly update their
Instagram to either show off their latest finds, promote their YouTube channel,
or give followers some insight into their family life. Since the show's return,
they have reprised their role as one of our favorite treasure-hunting duos.
Las Vegas pals Edwina Registre and Shana Dahan were late additions to "Storage Wars," though
the inseparable pair quickly blended in with the original team of buyers. From high-school
friends to insurance brokers, the two sought out a career in chasing rare collectibles,
often attending auctions together whenever they had the chance, according to A&E.
Their off-screen pursuits have seemingly kept them busy during their time off the show. As
passionate up-cyclers, they run a YouTube channel called Thrifters Anonymous, where they share their
latest finds with subscribers. The two also founded an online boutique called Throw it in
the Cart in 2021. Additionally, they were able to collaborate with a local Salvation Army store
in Nevada, having their own personal section of clothing pieces available to the public.
The Vegas Ladies did not rejoin the main cast of buyers following
the return of "Storage Wars" in 2021. Though they've never publicly stated why,
the two seem primarily focused on their ventures outside of "Storage Wars."
If you or someone you know is struggling with domestic abuse,
please call or chat online with the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.