Archive - 2013

Storage Wars: New York: Up Your Nose with a Rubber Hose!

August 14, 2013

Storage Wars: New York: Season 2, Episode 12: “Breaking the Bank.”

Candy’s and Courtney’s plan to buy quantity and quality. High five, gals! Joe P’s plan was to bet heavy and clean the table. High five, Joe! Mike’s plan to flip and flow. High five, Mike. Tad wanted Chris to ‘visualize’ the room. Chris wasn’t into visualizing. No high fives for you two.

1^st Room
Quality furniture, and boxes packed to the ceiling. Jaw-dropper. Starting bid at $500! Crazy! Who had deep pockets to win this storage unit? Joe P at $2,200.

First box contained beautiful Oriental lamps. If this was a sign of things to come, yeah, he struck gold indeed. Italian made dishes, hand-made rug, fireplace set, Asian style bedroom set, set of four upholstered chairs, and on and on.

Joe P found four vintage fire hose nozzles. He went to Jersey Firemans Museum to have them appraised. Value at $200. Joe P did test one of his nozzles (that sounds so wrong) and uh, well, that didn’t go over too well.

Joe P: First your hair goes gray; then you lose control of your hose.

2^nd Room
Vintage bike, quality furniture, and boxes packed to the ceiling. Tad salivated at all the goodies for the shop. C&C stated that room had their name written all over it. Joe P, he already scored. Mike, too much furniture to move. Not interested yet he the placed the first bid at $1,000!

Mike: Just because I don’t want it, doesn’t mean I won’t hustle these guys.

Tad determined to win bought the room for $2,200 (now you know how much to bring if you buy in Harlem). Chris was happy – ‘Woo hoo!’ The vintage bike made in England. Ostrich skinned (you read that right) end table, China cabinet, dresser, expensive porcelain, antique Tiffany desk set, hand-woven rug, marble top furniture piece, and more ‘cha-ching’ with each piece.

They found two books by Charles Dana Gibson. One had drawings of the ‘Gibson Girls.’ They were considered the supermodels of the early 20^th century.

Chris and Tad took the books and a piece of artwork to the American Illustrators Gallery. Books were distributed by Life Magazine in the 1900s. Poor condition so valued only at $500. The drawing was an original Gibson (but not of the Gibson Girl) and valued at $7,500.

Chris, that’s a WOO-HOO moment!

3^rd Room
Dresser, drop-leaf table, sofa, fold-up chairs, and boxes packed again to the max. Candy and Courtney snatched the room at $1,800. You definitely need a bank roll to roll a room in Harlem.

Gals found one box of broken ceramics. Aw! No worries, they still had furniture-palooza! C&C also found a safe. But how do gals crack open a large safe? Well, they call a friend with a forklift…

BOOM!

Huge drop destroyed the bottom of the safe. Okay, I’ve never seen a safe cracked that way before, but that was cool. About $2K worth of jewelry inside the safe. SCORE! Did they find anything unusual? Yep. Vintage pill maker tools in a wooden box.

Candy and Courtney took their box to City Reliquary Museum. Dated around 1880-1910. Extremely rare in its configuration. Estimated value at $1,500.

Profit Scorecard:
Chris Morelli & Tad Eaton: $16,700
Joe P: $15,050
Candy Olsen & Courtney Wagner: $5,658
Mike Braiotta: $0

Did you enjoy Joe P’s mishap with the fire hose?

Please leave your interesting opinions on this episode in the comment box below.

Container Wars: Interview with Penny Daily Auctioneer

August 14, 2013

Chuck G.

Celebrity Interviews

Add comment

TruTV’s reality series Container Wars Auctioneer Penny Daily is a small package with a fierce gavel in hand. She can handle any crowd at any auction anytime. Ready to milk you for every penny and then you’ll thank her after, why? Because she’s that likable and that good! Penny is the first female auctioneer to solo on any reality TV auction series and note there are less than 10% of women who auctioneer as a full-time career. She co-starred in the first half of season one.

She generously took time out from her new job and plethora of ongoing projects to answer a few questions for OnlineStorageAuctions.com.

Penny Daily Interview

Q. You graduated from Florida A&M University with a B.S. degree in Occupational Therapy; why did you choose that field of study?

A. I’m the only person to earn that degree in just 3 years, pretty proud of that. I specialize in stroke and head injury and I went into OT because I love elderly people. When I was 12-years old two men tried to attack me when I was visiting a family friend. I ran like crazy to get away from them and ran up to a home where two elderly people lived. They took me in and comforted me. That really made an impact on me.

Q. Are you still a real estate broker?

A. I fell into real estate. I had an extremely successful therapy staffing company and had networked (talked people’s ear off) well. We owned 26 properties ourselves, so I knew what was going on.

I don’t do real estate now because honestly, I am too damn busy and that job is exhausting. I think I lost 20 years off my life in those 7 years because the stress was unbearable. Not to mention the freaks that showed up at open houses and just stare at you and won’t leave. That’s when I began to auctioned homes in high-end areas because at that time there were intense bidding wars.

Q. How did you become a writer?

A. When I moved to LA I got the opportunity to freelance by accident (again). The material the writers buy are called “bits” which are on late night TV and also on several comedic sitcoms. I wrote bits for George Lopez, Conan O’Brien and Chelsea Handler. It was exciting to see them integrate the bit into the show. Total high!

Q. You’re a comedic sitcom writer/creator; what projects have you worked on?

A. I have my sitcom Paradise Cove under option for a year and they have the choice of keeping it another year or scrapping it. Timing is everything out here and the people I have it with are worth being patient with and waiting for.

Q. You are co-executive producer on which project?

A. I know it is lame but I cannot discuss this one yet. Filming begins in about three weeks and we aren’t allowed to talk about it at all. It is awesome!

You may hire Penny Daily auctioneer services through her website: http://www.planetdaily.com/about/. Her specialties include charity and fundraising auctions. Call 1-310-715-9174 or email [email protected] for more information.

Q. You graduated from the Missouri Auction School. Who influenced you to become an auctioneer?

A. My daddy owned an auto auction in Florida. That was my first real taste of it. From there my mom encouraged me to go for it on my own in order to sell real estate in possibly the best real estate that ever existed. I made a lot of money doing that and have my mom to thank for it.

Q. Any special memory of an auction back when?

A. I did an auction in Florida years ago. A woman’s mother had died and did not pay the rent on the unit, so the daughter had to bid on the unit just like everyone else. It wasn’t typical back then for women to even go to storage auctions, so she sort of stuck out.

These were some rough redneck men I tell you. Word got around why she was there, and that meant there was an opportunity to run the price up because there must be something in the storage unit of value. We opened the locker to jewelry boxes, antiques and tools. Would you believe that not a single person bid against her and she bought her mom’s storage unit for $1. Renewed my faith in mankind.

Q. How did you get the nickname, “Bird Dog?”

A. My love is searching and hunting for things people can’t ordinarily find on their own. I’ve always got my nose out there looking for those unique items, events and homes.

In the auction world we get to auction the most unbelievable items. Events like watching a never released George Lucas movie in a theater…at George Lucas’ house which is kind of a rare event. That is precisely why I am called the “Bird Dog,” because I am gonna find that item for the next auction!

Q. What type of auctions do you do?

A. My specialty is definitely charity auctions. I just did one for “Step Up for Women” and it was awesome. We raised over $400k for mentorships for teenage girls in underprivileged areas. I LOVE the energy at charity auctions because we are all there for the right reasons. In addition, I really am star struck. When I can share the stage with the cast of Modern Family, then I am all over it!

Container Wars

Q. How did you get cast on the show?

A. I was approached by Tara Sarazen on Facebook. I did not know her but she had done her research! She set me up to meet with this absolutely incredible Casting Director named Cindy Deukmejian. Man, she is priceless. She is a consummate professional and knows the ins and outs of this industry. Any company would be proud to have her on their staff. I owe having this opportunity to Cindy and Tara.

Q. Describe what it is like to auctioneer with such an enthusiastic and high-drama cast?

A. Oh, my Gosh! Holy Crap!! It is crazy is what it is. When you have such dramatic personalities all in one place it is like the room you are in just got lit on fire. They are all so uniquely different, and it was hard to read them at first, but after just a bit I had them all eating out of my hand… totally kidding.

Q. When you saw yourself for the first time on television on that first episode; how did you and your family react?

A. Well, I was really anxious to see how they edited me. I mean, after all, they made me look fat on there and loud. I am kidding. I did that on my own. Seriously, my friends and family were extremely supportive and we did a lot of laughing when we watched the show. Very cute and humbling.

Q. Who would you rank as the top player(s) due to their expertise with this type of auction where thousands of dollars are spent on a single container?

A. Well, every auctioneer is the expert in every auction. We make money no matter what is in that container. We get our percentage by riding up the prices as most as we can. However, if I had to say one player over another, I would have to separate them out by specialty.

Deana makes good and solid decisions. The Israelis are known for their business sense. Mo and Ty are methodical. Matthew is a gambler. Jason is the damn nice guy. Did I forget to answer the question in there somewhere? I do this all the time in real life to avoid the question. Did it work?

Q. Describe your cast mates:

Q. Anything you’d like to say about any of the cast that may surprise us that we didn’t see on camera?

A. What will surprise most people is that we are like family now. Although there is fighting during the purchases, we all remain mostly civil to each other after the filming is completed. If something goes wrong in any of our lives, the other cast mates are there for them. We respect each other and I think that is unusual given the competitive atmosphere at the shipyard.

Q. Any behind-the-scenes stuff you’d like to share?

A. I got special perks of snacks and root beer floats when no one else did. There, it’s out there now so I will sleep better tonight! Whew!

Q. Anything that you’d like to say about yourself that may surprise us that we didn’t see on camera?

A. I was scared to death. Yes, I have auctioned many times, but doing it on a set with a hundred people; and cameras and microphones and this amount of money being spent, it was horrifying!

Q. People think being on a reality show is easy; tell us what a typical day was like on set.

A. It is REAL, people. So, it is work. I love how real it is. You roll up on the yard to get mic’d and then there are hundreds of pictures being taken of you all over the place. There are at least 50 professional producers on set and they are busy! We are herded into areas far away from the containers until they are ready to have us go and auction the first container. No one sees that container before we walk up and open it. It is wonderful to see it being done fluidly and on the up and up.

Q. How was working out on a shipyard differ from other auctions?

A. Damn girlfriends and boyfriends that shipyard was dirty!!! My idea of roughing it was doing an auction was at a Holiday Inn, so this was some nasty crap going on at the shipyard. I had black dirt up my nose and in my boogs for days.

Q. How would you describe the show?

A. As an auctioneer for a show like Container Wars you feel somewhat liable for a bidder’s poor judgment. Then you remember these bidders were born to take these risk . It’s a high for them. This show allows them to fight, sometimes literally, for a 20-40 foot “grab bag” container that can put them out $10K-$40K. That takes guts, balls and a certain degree of crazy.

Penny keeps her fans up to date on her hilarity, shenanigans, and outrageous fun as well as her auction events on Facebook. Please “Like” her fan page at Penny Daily – http://www.facebook.com/penny.daily

Q. How did you meet your husband?

A. I met my trophy husband, Dave, at Florida A&M University where we both graduated college. He fell in love with me instantly. He loved every single thing about me and begged me to even speak with him, and oh, God I can’t keep going because I am totally kidding. We went on to both become therapist; him in physical therapy and me in occupational therapy. We have been together ever since. It will be our 20 year anniversary next year!

Q. How many children do you have and what is it like being a mother?

A. We have 3 kids. We have a 17-year old daughter going to college next year (Holy Crap! How did that happen?). I also have a son who is 15-years old and another son who is 13-years old. My kids are way better than anyone else’s kids. I have even asked friends and they agree my kids are better than theirs. They are really smart and attractive too; and did I mention they have this warped sense of humor like I do? Well they do.

Q. What other projects would you like to get into Hollywood – your dream projects?

A. This is so easy. I want my movie, Bed #9, to be produced. I want Paradise Cove picked up and not just optioned. I want the 13 concepts I have for TV reality shows to be produced. That’s really it. Not too much to ask for, is it?

Q. What are your hobbies?

A. My hobbies are eating, hanging out with my husband, sleeping, hanging out with my kids, watching TV, writing, eating, getting my nails done, getting a massage, playing with my dogs, eating, reading other people’s work and critiquing it, talking on the phone with my best friends… eating.

Q. What motto do you live by?

A. If you can laugh at it, you can live with it.

Q. What’s your best attribute?

A. Surrounding myself with people who love me.

Q. What’s your worst attribute?

A. Surrounding myself with a bunch of buttholes, at times.

Q. What’s on your bucket list?

A. Get my movie BED #9 on the BIG SCREEN!!! Everything else I am fully capable to do and will do.

Q. How would you like to be remembered?

A. As someone you loved.

Penny lives life to the fullest, loves her family, makes time for her friends, and keeps hustling for that next big Hollywood project. Her lifestyle is beyond crazy and she smiles through the bends and bumps in the road before her.

“It’s always sunny in Penny Daily’s Planet.”

Container Wars airs on TruTv. Check your local listing for showtimes.

Let us know your thoughtful opinions about this interview in the comment box below.

Container Wars: Ms. America Coughs Furballs

August 12, 2013

Chuck G.

Container Wars

4 Comments

Container Wars: Season 1, Episode 10: “Fur Play.”

Three aspiring beauty queens arrived at the shipyard. Uzi as Ms. America. Eyal as Ms. International. Shlomi as Ms. California. Yes, Israelis in d-r-a-g, if you can call it that. The Israeli trio donned sashes and tiaras. Funny, for some reason they looked far more attractive with tiaras. Just saying…

1^st Container: Port of Origin – British Columbia, Canada
Huge 40 foot container. Wood and more wood. Like a lumber yard threw up in the container. Everyone who bid thought there would be a “surprise” beyond the lumber. Wrong! No surprise. Just wood and more wood.

This was all Jason. He had to unload the lumber to see what was beyond the lumber.

More WOOD!

Jason did find architectural plans to build a complete house. He was happy because he didn’t lose money, this time ’round.

Jason: Jackpot!

Cost: $30,000
Profit: $4,000

2^nd Container: Port of Origin – Boston Harbor, Massachusetts
Antiques, chandelier, Colonial furniture, and boxes labeled, “fragile.” You know Mo loves furniture, however Ty was not “feeling it.”

Mo would buy the container with or without him. Not cool!

Ty did smile once he saw the box of vintage sports memorabilia. Especially when he found a football signed by Hall of Fame, retired NFL Quarterback, Joe Namath.

Mo loved the hand-made wood door and antique armoire. Both men happy and in the money.

Mo: I am the furniture king!

Cost: $31,500
Profit: $4,500

3^rd Container: Port of Origin – San Francisco, California
Full-sized animatronics stuffed animals. Photo booth (type you see at arcades or boardwalks) and lockers with locks. Potential for a big payout, IF, and that’s a big “if” there’s something of valued locked away.

Who likes to gamble on big payoffs? You guessed it, Matt. Deana whispered a warning to Matt that the Israelis would try to screw him. Did Matt listen? No.

Photo booth was fake. No photo screen or camera to take photos. The sign, “Foto” should have been a dead give-a-way. Mat used a crow bar to pry open the lockers. Did he find money? That would be a big – NO! He found a bag of tokens. You know you’re laughing out loud.

Matt: Worthless!

Cost: $24,000
LOSS: -$11,125

4^th Container: Port of Origin – Novorossiysk, Russia
Fur coats and lots of them. Huge safe in the back along with a half-size refrigerator. Think about this, the container sat for nine months. That refrigerator therefore unplugged for nine months. Did Deana think it through before she bought? No, she pulled a Caesar.

She saw it. She wanted it. She bought it.

Furs were real. The patterns do not repeat and the fur flows. But who wears politically incorrect furs in the 21^st century? I guess a lot of rich people do. Deana counted fifteen fur coats, including a full-length mink coat; fur wraps in a box, and then there was that refrigerator.

Stinky, stained fur coats wrapped in plastic. Crate in back the same. That’s a whole lot of fur balls. Her saving grace would be the safe. Actually, that wasn’t a safe either, but a type of refrigerator. Inside, wrapped skins such as alligator (taking a guess here). Not enough to put her in the black.

Deana: I’m not here to break even. I’m here to make a profit!

Cost: $30,000
Profit: $0

Do you think Uzi has a chance at the title, “Ms America?” We are a free country, but maybe not that forward thinking; or when it comes to Uzi, that backward thinking.

What did you think of this crazy “furball” episode?

Please leave your insightful opinions in the comment box below.

How to Find Storage Auctions in Your Town

August 8, 2013

Tiana Bodine

Storage Auctions 101

Add comment

One of the biggest challenges of getting started in the storage auction business is figuring out when and where the auctions happen.

This is especially difficult if you don’t know anybody else who’s already doing storage auctions for a living or as a hobby. Fortunately, with a bit of digging, you can find the auctions in your town and take advantage of the thrill of auction hunting.

The first place to look is your local newspaper. Storage facilities must post a notice of their auctions in a public place, and most choose to do this through the city paper.

If you live in a big city, check some of the smaller papers for surrounding suburbs; these papers are cheaper, which makes them more attractive to storage facilities.

This will also give you access to the auctions held by smaller storage facilities, which often have fewer attendees, making it easier to get items for a decent price.

Aside from the newspaper, you can also try calling the storage facilities directly or checking their websites. Some facilities do post their auction schedules online, and you can keep track of them on your calendar.

If you do choose to call the facilities for information, just beware that the facility may have already fielded many phone calls and could be impatient with you. It’s best to try to find the information on your own first.

One of the best resources to find storage auctions is an online storage auction directory. These are available at both the national and state level. Whenever you can, try to use a local service.

For example, Texas residents can subscribe to the Texas Storage Auction Schedules & News site; residents in other states may have similar services.

The way these services work is pretty simple. The staff calls thousands of storage facilities and scours the Internet and other sources to determine what auctions are being held in a given area, and then provides that information to you in exchange for a subscription fee.

Considering how convenient the service is, the fee will pay for itself by saving you a lot of time. Just beware of the larger national listings as their results are often vague and not worth the price.

Once you start attending auctions, you’ll be able to network with auctioneers, facility managers and other auction attendees to get insider information about upcoming auctions.

Just be sure to track all of these auctions on your smartphone or pocket calendar so you know when a big sale will happen; that way you won’t miss anything important.

Please leave your creative thoughts in the comment box below.

Storage Wars: New York: Lords of the Gnats & Snakes

August 7, 2013

Chuck G.

Storage Wars New York

Add comment

Storage Wars: New York: Season 2, Episode 9: “Snakes in the Locker.”

No coffee equals a cranky John Luke. Mike’s wife told him to buy shabby chic. Clueless to what that means. Maybe he should ask Candy and Courtney, they would know.

Um, maybe he should hold off on that. C&C discuss their strategy for the day – Play Dirty! Not sure what they meant by that. Chris and Tad continued to agree to disagree, or disagree just because that’s what they do. Joe P was in the auction zone. Not sure what he meant by that.

1^st Room
One cardboard barrel, few boxes, and uh, yeah, that’s about it. Joe P had a stupendous strategy. First he made his bids obvious then misdirected his intentions. Here’s how it worked.

Bid up to a point. Joe P then said, “Let him have it.” Next Joe P nodded to bid again. BRILLIANT! Mike got played! Joe P won the locker with this amazing misdirection at $425. Candy and Courtney were fooled as well.

Joe P: I’m in the business to make money, don’t forget that!

And that’s why he’s The Legend. Joe P uncovered newspapers, magazines, small land line phone, books, empty cooler, blender, dishes, air mattress, barrel full of junk, and a collection of twenty-six pencil sharpeners.

Wait, hold on now. These were miniature model type pencil sharpeners: San Francisco cable car, French phone, potbellied stove, world globe (that spins), and more. Sharpeners were made in Spain around 1950s. Valued at $700.

2^nd Room
Bags and bags of clothing. Say it with me, ‘Ugh.’ Not appealing to most players, but Candy wanted the storage unit to beat the guys.

Courtney: We said we were going to play dirty, not buy dirty.

Candy had the bid bug and won at $600 for dirty laundry. What was she thinking? What did they find? Dirty laundry! Shout it with me: ‘UGH!’ Their surprise item was a vintage plumber’s snake. Yep, that summed up the room.

Marco kitchen sink snake with crank made in the 1920s. Not operational due to it’s wear and tear. Valued around $250.

3^rd Room
Bicycle, bench, rubber tubs, table, and miscellaneous household stuff. Joe P held his arm up to signal a perpetual bid.

Mike: Someone call 9-1-1. I think Joe P’s having a stroke.

I think Joe P stroked your bid up, Mike. Oh, The Hustler won, but he paid big – $1,100. I think he got played twice unless he can flip a nice profit.

Mike found stacks of CDs, bowling balls with bag, mini DVD player, shoe racks, clothes, video games, and a maple tree sapping kit.

Where do you go to get that appraised? Out of Flatbush and into the backwoods. The assortment of items included an electronic tester to test the color of the maple syrup. Spiles pierce the tree and aluminum buckets with lids to collect the syrup. Total value at a whopping $26. Wah, wah, wah.

Mike, get out of the stinking fresh air and back to the city.

Profit Scorecard:

Joe P: $350
Mike Braiotta: loss -$120
Candy Olsen & Courtney Wagner: loss -$290
Chris Morelli & Tad Eaton: $0

What did you think of Joe P’s bid and misdirection tactics?

Please leave your insightful opinions on this episode in the comment box below.

Container Wars: Interview with John Kunkle Auctioneer

August 7, 2013

Chuck G.

Celebrity Interviews

2 Comments

TruTV’s reality series Container Wars centers around a group of explosive personality players who bid big money on shipping cargo containers from around the world. These containers are auctioned by John Kunkle, an auctioneer of over thirty years. John has honed his skills and craft and currently holds the unofficial title as the “Seasoned Auctioneer Extraordinaire” of Southern California.

John permeates goodness. Friendly, outgoing and one of the nicest, sweetest, most sincere people you will ever meet both online and in real life. He took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions for OnlineStorageAuctions.com.

John Kunkle Interview

Q: You became an auctioneer after attending Missouri Auction School in 1979. How have auctions changed over the years?

A. They’ve become more popular! Auctions and Auctioneers were rare in 1979, at least here in California. I remember calling home. Checking in with my wife while I was attending school (via black dial coin operated public phone booth), and sharing with her how auctions were numerous in Missouri. As common as garage sales in California and wishing I’d had a 40 foot trailer to fill and bring home.

Q: How did you get the nickname, “Dairy Farmer?”

A: Doing exactly what Mo (cast member on Container Wars) is constantly accusing me of, “milkin’ the bid.” I was tagged with that phrase years ago when calling bids at the Long Beach Police impound car auction, where naturally folks wanted a deal, while at the same time my job was to extract as much money as possible! Funny thing, we always reached a compromise.

Q: Who influenced you into becoming an auctioneer?

A: In the early 70’s I knew this guy who bought cars for folks at the L.A. Auto Auction. I’d go hang with him occasionally on sale nights and naturally was intrigued by the rhythmic, fast talking auctioneers. In the mid 70’s I found myself working for Long Beach Fleet Maintenance where they performed auction sales in-house, selling end-of-life surplus equipment. I expressed interest in becoming an auctioneer, and my boss thought I was a natural for it.

Q: You began your auctioneer career in 1979 auctioning cars, equipment and miscellaneous property as the “City’s Auctioneer” of Long Beach. Then auctioning antiques in the ‘90‘s, but in 1981 you became the premier SoCal charity and fundraising auctioneer. What happened? How or why did you switch from commercial auctions to charity auctions?

A: So, I’m picking up my kids from preschool one day back in ’81, and one of the moms approached me with her knowledge of my being an auctioneer. She asked me if I’d help out with the charity organization she volunteered for by my calling bids at their upcoming gala fundraiser. I said “sure” and the rest is history.

Q: What’s the strangest item you’ve auctioned to date?

A: Vasectomy operation donated by a surgeon at that very first fundraiser auction.

Q: What’s the most expensive item you’ve auctioned to date?

A: $220,000 went down to the gavel and passed on to local Long Beach Children’s Charities for the sale of the opportunity to participate in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race held annually in conjunction with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Made the headlines. Even the Mayor at the time said I was the “Man of the Day!”

You may hire John Kunkle through his website: http://www.johnkunkle.com. His services include: Gala Benefits, Charity Auctions, Fundraisers and Emcee for Southern California. Call 1-562-552-0960 for more information.

Q: How far in advance should someone try to book you as an auctioneer for their event?

A: Not just limited to Southern California. I’m like Paladin in the old western TV series, Have Gavel – Will Travel. Spring and Fall are typically busy months for fundraisers and Friday-Saturday nights are when most folks schedule these events. Six months to a year in advance is common place. I often times receive last minute requests when auctioneers suddenly can’t make it. I’ve been known to drop what I’m doing and go give ’em a hand.

Q: Are there any restrictions to how large an event should be, or any prerequisites for fundraisers before someone should consider hiring you?

A: Big or small. If I can help then that’s all that matters!

Q: You auctioneer at many charity events. Is there a charity organization that is closest to your heart and why?

A: I’m an emotional guy that gets choked up and teary eyed at the mention of humanity helping humanity. The causes and needs are as infinite as the complexities of our minds. Sometimes I’m overwhelmed with the good feeling that a group I was part of made a huge impact on the cause we were fighting for. Not one organization but “Children.” Helping kids is closest to my heart because they are the future!

Container Wars

Q: You didn’t audition for the role of auctioneer on Container Wars, instead T-Group Productions found you. How did that come about?

A: Well I did actually perform an audition to compete against the other auctioneers, but I wasn’t actually out looking for this gig! I think my being selected is testament to the success of social media and the importance of owning a web page in this day and age. T-Group “Googled” and I received an e-mail when I was vacationing in Washington D.C. They’d seen my website and it’s accompanying video’s, and wanted to set up a meeting. The rest is history as they say.

Q: Describe what it is like to work on Container Wars, which probably has the most enthusiastic, high-voltage, high-drama, craziest cast of any auction reality series on television today.

A: It’s just like those Police Impound Auctions I did for 25 years. I still say it’s like herding cats! I gotta bunch of unruly individuals out to make a killing on a good deal, when in fact none of ’em have the monopoly on the concept! In a fundraiser auction folks applaud a high bid. Raising bids on containers full of surprise and potential profit might get rotten tomatoes thrown atcha!

Q: What the television audience may not realize is that a half-hour show does not take a half-hour to film, but instead you film for hours or even days. How long does it take to film one episode of Container Wars from start to finish, including all of the cast’s interview shots?

A: Minimum of a “Sun up, to Sun down” day! I like to say we give ’em 22 miles of film for 22 minutes of TV!

Q: When you saw yourself for the first time on national television on that first episode of Container Wars; what ran through your mind?

A: My dad woulda got a kick outta that!

Q: In Container Wars, the tension among the cast erupts like a volcano almost weekly. Will the high drama continue throughout the seasons? Hope you have insurance!

A: Like the contrail that follows a jet across the sky, some things are inevitable in this world. The competitive tension among the cast is real and can erupt at the drop of a hat! Yes, I got insurance!

Q: Describe each cast member:

Q: Container Wars’ cast are the high-rollers of all auction series because the containers go for tens of thousands of dollars. Who would you rank as the top buyers due to their expertise at this level of high stakes auctions?

A: Matthew’s got the eye for value as does Jason, Deana and Mo & Ty. All of ’em are experts, but in a variety of fields of merchandise. The Israelis on the other hand have an insatiable hunger for the gamble, the win, and are seemingly willing to bankroll bids to oblivion!

Q: Who is the craziest cast member, and by crazy, I mean most unpredictable.

A: Uzi !

Q: Which cast member is the most fun to work with?

A: That’s like asking which Porsche is the best to own. All of ’em is my answer!

Q: Anything you’d like to say about any of the cast that may surprise us?

A: I’m no fool. I ain’t goin there!

Q: Fair enough. Anything you’d like to say about yourself that would surprise us?

A: I used to be shy as a kid…

John is very active on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” his fan page at John Kunkle Auctioneer: http://www.facebook.com/FundraiserAuctioneer. He keeps his fan base up-to-date on his latest gala/benefit gigs. He also posts videos of auctions and photos of his rest and relaxation shenanigans.

Q: You posted a photo of yourself riding a motorcycle on Facebook. How long have you been a motorcycle enthusiast and what bike(s) do you own?

A: Been riding motorcycles over 50 years! When I was eight my brother taught me how to shift his 3-speed Vespa! Dirt bikes, race cars, crotch rockets… I’m a gear head from way back. Right now we got two in the stable: Harley Rode Glide for touring, and a Harley Softail Springer for puttzin around.

Q: What are you hobbies?

A: Been workin’ to make my house a solid and comfortable place for my family to hang their hats in for over 35 years. I suppose that’s my consistent hobby. I gotta say though that over time I’ve had many pastimes and indulgences that have changed with my age and physical abilities. Right now, watchin’ my grand kids grow is my #1 hobby!

Q: How long have your been married and how many children do you have?

A: Married the one and only ‘Lil Debbie 40 years ago. Blessed with two of the best daughter’s a man could wish for and three grand kids and counting.

Q: What is on your bucket list?

A: To see my grandchildren grow to be happy and content in life, love and career!

Q: What is your best attribute?

A: You can count on me!

Q: What is your worst attribute?

A: I talk alot (says my wife).

Q: What motto(s) do you live by?

Live and let live.
Never say never.
Do onto others as they’d do onto you.
Live to ride, ride to live.
Never sword fight with Zorro.
Never spit into the wind.

Q: How do you wish be remembered when every thing is said and done?

A: He never told a lie!

Much has been said about how true-to-life reality television series really are, however one thing this interview unfolded as the truth: John Kunkle is genuine, a giving soul, and an all-around nice guy. He’s the real deal!

Container Wars airs on TruTv. Check your local listing for showtimes.

Let us know your thoughtful opinions about this interview in the comment box below.

Storage Wars: New York: Joe P a Playboy Bunny?

August 6, 2013

Chuck G.

Storage Wars New York

Add comment

Storage Wars: New York: Season 2, Episode 10: “The Forgotten Borough.”

Either you have class or you don’t. Joe P rented a helicopter and flew to Staten Island. Now that’s class-y! Fashionistas Candy and Courtney’s mind set to buy seasonal items. Italian Stallion Mike felt right at home for auction held in an American Italian neighborhood. Then there was Big Steve.

Moving on…

1^st Room
Mattresses, painter’s equipment, dresser, motorcycle helmets, tools, case of water bottles (no clue why someone would store that), lamp, rubber tubs, and boxes. Mike did not bring his box truck. Buy what fits in his pickup.

Mike: Today I’m like a heart surgeon. I’m gonna transplant some cash into my pocket.

Not this room, Mikey. Big Steve at $675. Room crammed with tools. Big Steve’s one treasure was a vintage football helmet made by Spalding for college play. Dated post 1920s because of the molding around the ear. Helmet in immaculate condition. Valued at $1,000.

2^nd Room
First impression – trash. Dirty rubber tubs, crushed boxes, cheap furniture, Christmas decorations, and junk. C&C wanted the room, but not over $100 for that piece of (bleep!). Italian Stallion and the Giant battled for this room (have no idea why?).

Courtney: Let Beeves and Butt-Head fight this one out.

Mike won at $300. How will he break even on this horrid room? He did find gold jewelry in a box and an industrial machine.

Paragon Spin Magic 5 candy cotton machine. Brand new or like new condition. Valued at $650. Phew, that put Mike into a sugary profit!

3^rd Room
Clothes, CD racks, sub-woofers, wall art, golf clubs, and stereo equipment. Every cast member bid on this locker. Big Steve had to BUMP the bid to $1k.

That took out Mike, Candy and Courtney. No way was Joe P about to let anyone get the best of him. He won at $1,700. I don’t see it, other than to prove the point – “Who’s top dog.”

Joe P sifted through that small room. Found an amplifier, several bags of CDs, vinyl records, miscellaneous electronics, cables, waterproof boots, and six ears.

Not real ears, but Necomimi Neurosky, which are brainwave controlled cat ear. Huh? That’s what I said. The ‘mic’ placed on forehead which then activates specific motion to the ears. Huh? Again, that’s what I said.

Appraiser had Joe P try them on. He looked so cute. She asked him if he wanted the ears to perk. She then asked Joe P to look at her boobs. Huh?

Joe P: I’m a good boy.

You so are not, Joe P. Why are your Necomimi ears moving so fast? Too funny! Whole set valued at $300.

Profit Scorecard:

Big Steve: $1,300
Mike Braiotta: $487
Candy Olsen & Courtney Wagner: $0
Joe P: loss -$565

What did you think of Joe P’s Necomimi ears? Would you wear them?

Please leave your thoughts and opinions of this episode in the comment box below.

Container Wars: Bull Riding

August 5, 2013

Chuck G.

Container Wars

Add comment

Container Wars: Season 1, Episode 9: “Big Guns.”

Buzz about the shipyard was that there’s a container full of artwork that could be worth a fortune. Matt hungry for the kill. His strategy was to bid up all the containers to empty out the pockets of his competitors. Good plan.

1^st Container: Port of Origin – Santa Rita, Guam
Double barrel artillery guns, clues of paint ball equipment, and possible army surplus gear. Shlomi revealed that he was in a parachute unit and believed the “big guns” were an anti-aircraft weapon.

Here’s the thing, if it’s an operational anti-aircraft weapon, it’s illegal to own. Matt’s concerned about possible red tape that might be involved.

The Israelis?

Shlomi: If it’s legal, we make a lot of money. If not, they take it away. We’re screwed, but we’re going to go for it.

Trio won and called Stan, an expert on weaponry and knowledgeable on what’s legal to own. The big guns were Anti-Aircraft Twin Japanese Guns. If the guns were real and operational, valued at $35k with a 20 year prison sentence.

HOLY (BLEEP!)

Stan took a good look.

Not real.
Not operational.
Not as much value either.

Israelis also had a M-151 or “Mutt” – Military Utility Tactical Truck. The M-60 automatic weapon on the vehicle was nonoperational. Phew, they could legally resell the items. The trio also had a blast playing with their paint ball gear.

Cost: $23,500
Profit: $11,500

2^nd Container: Port of Origin – Victorville, California
Carnival stuff and a car underneath a tarp. Deana noticed the size of the tires, called it an “Old Folk’s Car.” Possible Model-T which would be worth a ton of money. Matt could not wrap his head around why an antique car would be in a mix with carnival crap, but that didn’t stop him from punching up the bid to make Deana overpay for the container.

What did Deana find? Um, carnival stuff, doh! Rings and bottle game. Toss bean-bag game. Yep, CAR-NI-VAL crap. But what about the CAR? It’s a Model-T. Yes! Upon closer inspection… oh, no! It’s a replica Model-T converted into an ice cream car! Bahahaha!

Deana: I really got fooled on this one.

Cost: $25,000
LOSS: $-18,000

3^rd Container: Port of Origin – Los Angeles, California
Merchandise covered in shrink wrap. Law books, office chair, furniture, judge’s bench, uh… this container came from Hollywood. Okay, now put the puzzle together. Got it? Yep, it’s a mock courtroom set.

Who would be dumb enough to buy this? Jason. He thought camera equipment would be shipped along with the courtroom set. Uh, Jason, film equipment is rented. What did he find? Bench, wardrobe, jury stand with twelve chairs, etc.

Jason: No camera. No lights. No action.

Cost: $20,000
Profit: $0

4^th Container: Port of Origin – Butte, Montana
Boxes. In the far back Mo spotted the horns of a bull, and no, I’m not BSing you. Matt thought this was the fine art container because hay is often used to transport art. However, Mo & Ty raised the bid beyond what Matt would risk.

Mo & Ty found cheap rodeo gear in first few boxes. Not a good sign. First crate however turned things around. New saddle-style bar stools. Probably décor for a western night club. Did they find a bull? Yes they did. A black mechanical bull that would buck them into the black.

Ty: This is it. This is our meal ticket.

Cost: $20,000
Profit: $5,000

That’s no bull (bleep) about it!

Please leave your insightful thoughts in the comment box below.

Online Storage Auctions: A Great Venue for Selling Vehicles, RVs, ATVs, Boats, Trailers and More

August 1, 2013

T.C. Lane

Online Storage Auctions

1 Comment

One great benefit of OnlineStorageAuctions.com is that it’s not limited to just self-storage lien auctions. This means that you can utilize this free service to sell unwanted vehicles whether you’re a facility owner, manager or a private seller.

Sometimes tenants abandon their vehicles at a storage facility. Others may have fallen behind on rent payments due to financial difficulties, or the vehicle may have been forgotten about by the tenant’s family after a death or incarceration.

Whatever the reason, these abandoned vehicles can take up a lot of space and prove to be a hassle for storage facilities, which may want to auction them off to make up the cost of unpaid rent.

Alternatively, you may be a vehicle owner who wishes to get rid of an unwanted vehicle. You might be keeping your car in boat in storage due to a lack of space at home, but have no real interest in continuing to pay storage fees.

Selling a vehicle privately can be a real hassle, and you may not have the time to meet with individual buyers who just want to kick tires without committing to anything. It would be much easier to simply sell the car, boat or RV to an interested buyer without all of the intermediary steps.

In either case, whether you’re a storage facility owner or a private seller, using an online storage auction service can save you a lot of time and money.

If you’re a storage facility manager or owner, you’ll want to follow the necessary lien sale procedures in your state’s lien laws. Once you’ve confirmed that there are no lien holders or criminal investigations to worry about, you can begin the sales process.

If you’re a private seller and you hold a clean title to the vehicle, you’re ready to begin as well. First, you’ll need to take a few detailed photographs. The more details you can include in these pictures, the more likely you’ll be to pique the interests of potential buyers.

You’ll then post these photographs on the OnlineStorageAuctions.com website along with a description of the vehicle’s year, make, model, condition and any other important information that would help pique the interest of a buyer.

From there, the vehicle will go up for auction, where a network of interested buyers can begin bidding on the unit. Each of our auctions is advertised widely through multiple channels to help pique buyer interest; you can also advertise the auction in local newspapers and other media outlets to increase the number of bidders.

After the bidding has been completed, you will be provided with the winning bidder’s information. At that point, you can work out the details of payment with that bidder.

If for some reason the winner doesn’t come forward to claim the vehicle, you can contact the next-highest bidder and so forth until the vehicle is effectively sold.

This whole system is provided free of charge for storage facility owners and private sellers. OnlineStorageAuctions.com doesn’t take any sales fees or commission, and all transactions are completed in cash between the buyer and seller. We simply facilitate the sale so that you can get your unwanted RV, boat, car, trailer or ATV sold with minimal hassles.

Please leave your creative thoughts in the comment box below.

Updates on the Michigan Man Who Was Arrested for Child Porn Found in a Storage Unit

August 1, 2013

T.C. Lane

News

Add comment

Last week, we mentioned a case in Detroit where a man who found child pornography in a storage unit was subsequently arrested for impeding a criminal investigation. More details have been uncovered in this case, including the man’s own arrest history and the arrest of the original tenant of the storage unit.

On July 20^th, 30-year-old Tyreek Wilkerson and his fiance Shavon Henry, both residents of Southfield, Michigan, decided to attend a storage auction in hopes of finding some items for resale. After purchasing a unit, they began to go through the items inside. There were several bins holding items like jewelry, but there were also very disturbing materials – including pornographic photos of preteen girls and bins full of child-size panties.

As it turns out, the original renter of the unit had been using it as an impromptu pornography studio. He set up a wall to block off view from the door, and behind it had set up lights and cameras for pornography production. The facility manager of the Ypsilanti-based National Storage Center had no idea what was kept in the bins or stored behind the wall, sources say.

Once Wilkerson and Henry figured out what was inside, they threw away the material they had found and alerted the facility manager about the situation. They did not, however, immediately notify the police. Instead, they brought home the rest of the bins from the unit to sort through them at home. Unfortunately for them, this turned out to be the wrong decision.

Ypsilanti police, having been notified by the facility manger, soon arrived at Wilkerson’s door. According to Henry, who was present during the arrest, the couple were awoken at night and drug from their beds by the police, who proceeded to raid the home. The police removed several more items found in the storage unit, including cameras and a binder filled with pornographic images, before arresting Wilkerson on charges of possession and obstructing a police investigation.

Research into Wilkerson’s past suggests why he may have been reluctant to approach the police right away: He has a criminal record of his own. A glimpse at his background shows criminal charges for marijuana possession, receiving stolen property and criminal gun ownership. He had a detainer from an agency in Wayne county, suggesting that there had been a problem with a parole violation or outstanding warrant. All of which certainly explains why he may have been less than eager to approach the police immediately, but does little to excuse the destruction of evidence in this case.

There is at least a small silver lining to all of this. Thanks to the evidence police managed to retrieve from the storage facility’s dumpsters and Wilkerson’s home, coupled with information from the storage facility manager, the previous tenant and original owner of the pornography has been found and arrested. Details on his identity have yet to be released, but sources confirm that he is a 53-year-old Ypsilanti Township resident. The identify of the young girls shown in the pornography has yet to be determined, so it’s not yet known whether he had a relationship with them.

Wilkerson’s first hearing is scheduled for 8:30 AM on August 1.