Archive - April 2014

Storage Wars: Holy Grail II

April 30, 2014

Storage Wars: Season 5, Episode 10: “Zen Masters of the Universe.”

Darrell was all about Zen. Kimber taught him the Yoga tree pose. She asked him how he felt.
He said, “I need to poop.”

Dan and Laura Dotson lost on the way to auction. Not according to Laura. Dan just needed to make a u-turn up ahead.
That’s lost, Laura.

Jarrod told Brandi that she would pick the storage units and that he would set the budgets. The only rule – Brandi had to pick at least one locker. If Jarrod saw one that he liked, he’d nudge her and she’d pick that one.

Brandi: Great to be part of the team, Jarrod.

Rene arrived at auction behind the wheel of his box truck. He would load the merchandise as well. Darell, not impressed. Ivy in la-la land in his mind.

1^st Storage Unit

Furniture, ceiling fans, commercial fryer, washer, dryer, suitcases, entertainment center, mini-fridge, bird cage, and trash bags. Ivy won the locker for $1,300.

Ivy found a portable karaoke machine, keg dispenser, and an electric guitar.

He man-handled heavy furniture out of the locker. That’s a former MMA fighter, for sure. Ivy spotted a metal case. Strange tuning instruments inside.

Ivy took the musical items to a church. Appraiser stated the items were tone chimes which were used to teach people notes on the scale. Valued set at $1,100.

2^nd Storage Unit

Metal box with KISS (1980s rock band) written on the side, arcade game, comic books, collectable toys, and tools.

MONSTER BID WAR!

Dan quickly took the bids to $1,000, $5,000, and to $10,000. Darrell won at $15,750; the most money ever spent on a locker on Storage Wars.

KISS box contained costumes, no value, but the box itself very collectible. Darrell and Brandon uncovered box after box of collectible vintage toys. Original package. Mint condition.

Darrell: This locker just goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on. It’s the Holy Grail of Toys!

Comic books neatly bagged and boxed. Kimber added the tally. About $91,000 roughly in collectibles.
The highest profit ever in history of Storage Wars. Way to go, Darrell.

3^rd Storage Unit

Tool box, chairs, car seat, paper towels, battery charger, car rims, and boxes. Rene won the locker for $1,800.

He continued his hot streak and won the next two storage units.

4th Storage Unit – $550
5th Storage Unit – $220

Rene opened the tool box. Delighted to see it packed with tools in great condition. He also discovered several swords from sabre to medieval style.

The German however stumped when he put together a table. Casey examined it. Got it! Groom table for small pets. Rene brushed his hair with a pet brush.

Ew!

Couple took the table to Jeff, the “Fur Master.” He gave the table a once over. Study. Good quality.

Rene: You hang the dog right here?

Both Jeff and Casey stupified. No, Rene. You don’t “hang” pets. You hook their lease to the table. Sigh. Table valued at $600.

Darrell so far has won 3 Holy Grail storage units on the show.

Profit Scorecard:

Darrell Sheets: $75,250
Rene Nezhoda & Casey Nezhoda: $3,840
Ivy Calvin: $1,155
Jarrod Schulz & Brandi Passante: $0

How much would you be willing to pay for that storage unit full of collectible toys?

Please leave your insightful opinions in the comment box below.

Self Storage TV Features Online Storage Auctions

April 30, 2014

T.C. Lane

News, Press

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InsideSelfStorage.com recently launched Self Storage TV, an innovative new media product for the self-storage industry. OnlineStorageAuctions.com was recently featured in a news cast, along with our competitor StorageBattles.com. We really appreciate Inside Self-Storage including us in this. Be sure to Like, Tweet & Share this on Facebook, Twitter & Google Plus.

Barry’d Treasure: Batmobile

April 30, 2014

Naomi Luc

Barry'd Treasure

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Barry’d Treasure: Season 1, Episode 7: “Blackman and Robin.”

Today’s adventure was in Barry’s own backyard; Los Angeles. His sidekick for the day; Kenny “The Praline King.”

The Collector

Barry visited his friend Gino, bonafide a toy collector. He l-o-v-e-d Kaiju, which means monster in Japanese. Kaiju are limited edition monsters and very collectible. Barry’s range of expertise as a collector did not reach into the toy arena. Totally clueless, but ready to deal.

Barry: I’m not really understanding anything he’s saying; and it’s not because of his accent.

Gino was to host a show at his toy art gallery. Barry wasn’t sure he could find what Gino was after. Kenny stepped up and said, “I got this one.” Kenny knew a guy.

The Hunt

Barry and Kenny ate barbeque first. Can’t deal on an empty stomach. Kenny knew a guy named Moon Jones. He was a true toy collector. Barry however was specific on the genre of toys:

Barry: Kaiju.
Kenny: God bless you.

Kenny provided the guy. Barry provided the ride. What was the ride?

The Batmobile.

Perfect car to hunt toys. But it wasn’t comfortable. Barry got stuck, a lot.

Barry drove to Moon’s home. He had a ton of superheroes collectibles like, everywhere. In the kitchen cupboard and inside the fridge.

It was an impressive collection, but no Kaiju.

Moon knew a guy named, “Super Cooper.” He was a Japanese monster collector.
Batmobile parked at the next stop. Uh, wait a minute. “Super Cooper” was a 14-year old boy?

Barry: This Super Cooper could be our man. Despite the fact that he’s not a man yet…you get the point.

Cooper did indeed collect Kaiju. He was however, unable to part with even one piece. Barry disappointed. Sigh.
Kid then mentioned he knew a guy named Karl, who also collected Kaiju.
Barry perked.

Barry: I hope this works. Because so far Kenny’s getting a “D” in deal making but an “E for” effort.

Barry thought a wardrobe change might bring bring them luck. He met David, his shirt tailor, in a back alley. Ooo… kay.

Barry changed shirts, as did Kenny.
Once again, they were on their way.
Next stop, Karl the Kaiju collector.

The Sale

Karl normally would not part with any of his collection. However, he had amassed huge credit card debt. Barry suggested Karl put together a few items he was less attached to; 25 pieces in the lot.

Barry offered $8,000. Karl wanted more. Barry countered with $12,000. Before Karl could answer, Kenny raised the offer to $15,000.

Barry: Note to self, my buddy’s negotiation skills need a bit of work.

Deal!

Barry brought a few samples of Kaiju toys at Gino’s gallery. First, Barry had to parallel park the Batmobile.

Steady.
Steady.
BUMP!
Oops.

Gino loved the samples and the photo on Kenny’s phone of the rest of the collection.

He was not thrilled at the deal price, but he had to have the Kaiju. Sold!

Kenny came through for Barry.

Please leave your insightful opinions in the comment box below.

Barry’d Treasure: Oddballs

April 29, 2014

Naomi Luc

Barry'd Treasure

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Barry’d Treasure: Season 1, Episode 6: “The Unbearable Enlightenment of Barry.”

Barry drove to Las Vegas, Nevada. He visited his friend Peter who would host an auction and needed a buyer for his advertising collectibles. Weiss up to the challenge to make a deal.

Barry: The whole thing with auctions is the right buyer’s got to be present; and sometimes you end up bringing the auction to the right buyer.

Barry asked Mike Hammer, a local magician, to come along for the adventure.

The Collector

Barry and his sidekick met Peter at the auction house. Peter needed to sell three Barangers; store-window mechanical animated advertising displays, rented to jewelers, produced from 1925 to 1959.

Peter wanted $18,000 for the lot. Barry knew someone who collected Barangers.

But what’s in it for Barry?

The Hunt

Barry and Mike saw a classy woman in a car next to them at the light.

The show’s producer bet Barry he couldn’t get her number. Barry asked her out for coffee. She smiled. She waved. No, thanks.

Ouch, Barry.

Barry stopped in a small town near the Arizona border.
Call it Donkeyville.
Lots and lots of donkeys everywhere.

Barry met a young woman who wanted to take a picture. Who doesn’t want a photo with Barry?

Apparently, this young-zen-flower-gal named Juniper. She asked Barry to take a photo of her hugging a trash can. Huh?

Barry: I’ve always attracted oddballs. It’s something that I like about myself. And this one just might be a keeper.

Juniper lived in Sedona, Arizona. Barry asked her if she wanted a ride. Don’t have to ask that trash-can-hugger twice for an adventure. Ooo, a sunset. Pull over. Juniper wanted to gaze at the sunset.

She told the men to inhale, exhale, and to talk to the voice in their heads.

Barry: Well voice in my head. You there? I’m talking to you, voice. You talk to me when I’m talking to you.

It takes an oddball to know an oddball.

They spent the night in Jerome, Arizona. Front desk clerk at the hotel told them the place was haunted. Hotel was once a hospital and that 9,000 patients died there.

Mike total freak-out mode.

Barry: A magician? Afraid of ghosts? He’s just begging me to mess with him.

Two hours later the fun began. Barry had Juniper prank call Mike in the middle of the night. First call, scary noises. Second call, SCREAM!

All in good fun, for Barry.

Next day, time to say goodbye to Juniper as they dropped her off in Sedona.

Barry: She may be attuned with nature. But she sure isn’t picking up on how much I want to leave it.

The Sale

Barry took the mechanical animated displays to Michael Pollack.

Magician sidekick broke the ice with a little magic trick. Play time over. Time to wheel and deal. Pollack showed off his own Baranger collection; 130 pieces. Barry lathered the compliments.

Barry: My recipe for baking up a sale. Don’t skimp on the butter.

Barry presented the three Barangers he had and opened negotiations. Offer, 37,000. Pollack scoffed.

Counter offer $18,000. Peter would be happy, but again, what’s in it for Barry?

Barry: I’ve got one last trick up my sleeve. Looking him dead in the eyes… and lying.

Barry recountered at $28,000. No wiggle room. Pollack called his bluff.
Sold at $23,000.

What was in it for Barry?
Well, $5,000!
Not bad for an oddball adventure.

Please leave your creative comments box below.

Storage Wars: Rene a Woman?

April 25, 2014

Naomi Luc

Storage Wars

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Storage Wars: Season 5, Episode 9: “Boom Goes the Dynamite?”

Laura Dotson, dressed in a robe, practiced her – “Remember folks to pay the lady” quip in front of a mirror. Where you ask? Inside her very posh bedroom.

Dan, dressed in a robe also, read the paper in bed. Those two live a comfortable life, but work like miners everyday. We give them props!

Auction held in Rene’s territory. He made sure everyone was aware. Darrell felt competitive. Ivy felt a little propriety of Murrieta after running across Ivy Street.

Brandi was felt low. Jarrod felt like having fun.

1^st Storage Unit

Stereo, toy kitchen, DVDs, toy car, hangers, clothes, furniture, pocket bike, fishing pole, skate board, drum kit, bench, tools, camping gear, and boxes . Jarrod saw the pocket bike and was instantly sold on the unit. He won it for $1,300.

Brandi went through piles of junk while Jarrod tried every key in the locker on the pocket bike.

Brandi finally found the key. Jarrod turned it on. If worked, but the tires were flat, brakes didn’t work, and throttle busted. Jarrod however was having fun.

The couple had the pocket bike repaired. Time for a little race at the Adams Motorsports Park.

Brandi: Get ready to eat my dust Jarrod!

My money’s on Brandi!

Voom! VooOM!

Jarrod was in the lead. Brandi closed in on him.

VOOOOM!

Brandi zoomed past! And she’s was the winner! (Or did he let her win, hmmm.)

2^nd Storage Unit

Shovel, rake, vacuum, ladder, mini fridge, old computers, heaters, camping gear, and shredder. Rene and Darrell went head to head. But Darrell won the unit for $500.

Darrell: Rene backed off of this locker because he knows: Never get between a Papa Bear and his honey hole.

Darrell found a tool box, golf trophies, hard drives, watch, and pick ax. Brandon unpacked a camera and new sun glasses.

Brandon scored big when he found a mining box used to blow up dynamite.

Darrell: Dare I say this locker was exploding with profit.

Ugh. Work on your puns, Darrell.

Father and son took the mining box to an expert in old mining equipment. He dated the item to the late 19^th century. Let’s check to see if it worked.

Darrell volunteered Brandon to place the dynamite. (Thanks, dad.) Darrell also volunteered Brandon to stand 10 feet from the explosion. Darrell, of course, stood way back.

Brandon pushed down the lever. Nothing happened. The dynamite was a fake.

The expert bemused that Brandon didn’t blink at the idea of being so near an explosion. Kidding aside, the mining box made Darrell and Brandon $800.

3^rd Storage Unit

Furniture, paintings, tarps, plastic containers, and one really bad smell. Darrell raised the price then dropped the locker on Rene for $500.

The furniture was Asian inspired. There were clothes inside one of the dressers. Rene also found several garment bags. Casey beamed with excitement, instantly unzipped the bags.

Rene: Hey calm down tiger! All of a sudden you want to work?

The couple found three beautiful kimonos. Beautiful designs and very nicely made. Time to take them to be appraised by an expert in Japanese culture.

Rene took one look at the expert and his jaw dropped. The guy wasn’t a little Japanese man. He was a tall Caucasian. Expert told Rene he watched too much TV.

One of the kimonos was made for a woman when she turned twenty. The other two were wedding kimonos.

The length of the sleeves determined the type of kimono. Used, they were worth $1,000 altogether.

Before leaving, Rene wanted to know if the expert had any samurai armor to try on.

Rene: Do they come in big boy’s size?

No, Rene. Only in a warrior’s size.

Profit Scorecard:

Darrell Sheets: $2,440
Rene & Casey Nezhoda: $890
Ivy Calvin: $0
Jarrod Schulz & Brandi Passante: LOSS -$1,200

Whose unit had the best merchandise?

Please leave your insightful opinions in the comment box below.

Jarrod and Brandi: Married to the Job Recap

April 24, 2014

Chuck G.

Entertainment

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Jarrod Schulz and Brandi Passante granted their fans access to their lives at work and at home in an A&E special:

Married to the Job.

Better suited title – Brandi’s Three Kids.

Inside their two-story home (without a white picket fence), two kids, one dog…

Jarrod (grown child) badgered Brandi for another birthday party. His mother created a Schulz tradition of the “birthday month” when he was five-years old. A month-long birthday celebration?

That’s every kid’s dream.
Jarrod’s not a kid.
Wait, hold that thought.
He drank coffee out of a toilet cup.

Say it with me – EW!

Their son Cameron (real child) struggled with Alegbra.
(You know, that math that you will never, like ever use again in your entire life.)

Cameron needed a desk to do his homework. Jarrod’s solution – get him a desk from the store.

Brandi: We have a rule Jarrod. We’re not suppose to bring stuff home from the store.
Jarrod: Well, it’s more of a guideline than a rule.
Brandi: Pretty sure it’s a rule.

Jarrod promised he would not bring a desk from the store and left.
Brandi shook her head. That was way too easy in her mind. He kept his word. Did not bring a desk from the store.

He brought a BAR to use as a desk from the store.

And men wonder why women have PMS.

Brandi’s voiceover intro to the special:

I met Jarrod when I was nineteen. And even then, he didn’t have hair. And then came Oops. And Oops again. They’re pretty cute, so we let ’em stick around. We lived with Jarrod’s mom for awhile. Something every girl dreams about. And then one day we went to a storage auction. And our lives changed. We opened a thrift store, so Jarrod could hire all of his dumb ass friends. Because, of course they didn’t have jobs. People say that a successful marriage, takes a lot of hard work. But let me tell you, even when you’re not married, it still feels like a full-time job.

Meanwhile, at the Now and Then thrift store…

Jarrod stated he worked 7 days a week, 11 months out of the year.
He needed his birthday month to detox.
Ready to bolt out the door.
But Shawn, his brother-in-law, advised him that they needed to discuss expenses and payroll.

Schulz displayed the enthusiasm of a bewildered rugrat (just go with it).

Back at the home front…

Cameron asked Brandi for help with Algebra.

$brandi-passante-cameron-schulz-math$ Perplexed as to why there would be letters along with numbers in math… Brandi told her son to “Google it.”

Brandi: I’m not sure what I would ever do if they shut down Google.

Welcome to Parenting101 in the 21^st century.

Jarrod urged both his son and daughter to finish their homework.

Jarrod: Cameron’s gonna have to learn there’s always gonna be homework. But birthday month comes only once a year.

So far the grown child has had two or three birthday parties (dang!).
Schulz wanted M-O-R-E!

Brandi: With anyone else, birthday month would scream “Mid-life Crisis.”
But with Jarrod, it means he still hasn’t grown up.

Off to Grandma Sue’s house…

Honey-baked ham. Cheesy potatoes. Beans.
Was it enough?
Uh, no.
Jarrod whined for another birthday party and cake.

Brandi gave him cake alright… shaped as a horse’s ass!

Brandi: As a mother I have two goals:
Make sure that the college money doesn’t turn into bail money;
And to make sure Cameron doesn’t turn out like Jarrod.

High goals for any mother (ahem).

At a local bar…

Christina, saucy-single-brunette and best friend to Brandi, suggested a tutor.
Not for the kids.
For Brandi.
Best friend even arranged for the interviews.

Aw, how thoughtful.

Christina suggested that Brandi hire a super-banging HOT tutor. Brandi cocked her head. Uh, wait-a-minute. Was this interview for a tutor or speed dating for Christina?

Back at the home…

Jarrod stole his mother’s free-standing pool (she was glad to part with it).
He set up the pool with his dumb ass friends (Brandi’s words, not mine) in front of his house.
Bought a keg. Hired a DJ. Catered food. Girls in bikinis. PAR-TAY!

Time to ring up Brandi.

If you can’t beat them, join them. Brandi did a hand-stand on the keg and drank beer. She even got-jiggy-with-it.

Until rent-a-cop busted the party.

Next day…

Cameron presented a math paper to Jarrod.

Grade – F.

Jarrod: I really screwed up.
While I was running around acting like a kid, my kids needed me to be a dad.

Time for action.

Jarrod had Shawn tutor Cameron.
Finally, the kid understood algebra.

What about his daughter Payton?
He had her plunge the toilet at the thrift store.

Welcome to Parenting101 in the 21^st century.

Please leave your creative and fun thoughts about the special in the comment box below.

Storage Wars: Darrell won $1,000 from Rene

April 17, 2014

Naomi Luc

Storage Wars

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Storage Wars: Season 5, Episode 8: “Nuthin’ But a G Thang.”

Darrell played the drums in the garage. He, uh, wore guy-eye-liner. Kimber barged in and asked what he was doing thumping on the drums, badly at that. “The Gambler” was getting in touch with his creative side.

Ivy declared his money was trained. He tells it to sit and it don’t come out of his pockets until he wants it. Usually, it sits during an auction, or very little comes out of his pockets. We’ll see if he turns that around.

Jarrod was glad to be back to basics, which was to buy crap. Brandi disagreed. Jarrod stayed positive. She said only Jarrod could make closing the store into a good thing. Nice little “love-fist-tap” between them before the auction.

Darrell and Rene continued to lock horns. “The Gambler” egged Rene to make a $1,000 flip-the-coin bet. Rene had Dan Dotson flip a quarter. Darrell called “heads.” Yep, it was heads.

Rene: I don’t care about the $1,000 bucks, but I gave it to Darrell. That just sucks.

Lesson one, Rene – Never bet against “The Gambler.”

1^st Storage Unit

Fridge, deep fryer, food saw, grill, soda pop machine, stainless steel table, bowls, high chair, and ladder. Ivy saw any potential in the locker. Would his money talk for him?

Well, it would talk loudly because the price was over his usual cap. Former MMA champion won locker for $1,300.

Ivy: Now this right here is a beard. I’ve got it trained too, my beard and my money.

What does his beard have to do with money? Ivy called Steve, a restaurant equipment buyer, to look at the merchandise. The fridge was old. Slicer had missing parts. Grill rusted. Steve offered $400 for everything.

So much for obedient money.

2^nd Storage Unit

Blankets, trash, go-cart, and boxes. Darrell won the unit for $300. He made sure Rene knew he was using his money. Ouch. Salt to the wound.

Darrell found a vacuum, new sewing machine, and Princess House crystal. Brandon worked out on a small an exercise machine.

Darrell’s unique find was an old life jacket from the Queen Mary. Name stenciled on back and date inside vest – 1962.

Darrell: Do you think it was on there when it hit the iceberg?
Brandon: That’s the wrong ship, bro.

Someone give Darrell a history book, please.

They found more Queen Mary items: candy tin, coasters, original napkin, menu, and program.

Father and son took the collectibles to the commander of the Queen Mary. He confirmed the life jacket was authentic. The candy tin dated after World War II. The entire lot valued at $500.

Darrell recreated the famous Titanic movie scene on the ship’s bow.

Still the wrong ship, bro.

3^rd Storage Unit

Cedar chest, suit case, cooler, tarp, containers, trash, and boxes. Several people showed interest in this locker including Jarrod; but Rene took it for $1,300

Rene found boxes of dishes, stuffed animals, toys, papers, and VHS tapes. Ha! Laugh because when was the last time you saw a VHS movie?

Rene frustrated as each box delivered little value. However, one box was full of juggling equipment. Rene tried his hand at juggling. Don’t quit your day job, Rene.

Couple took the equipment to Josh, a circus expert. Torches were good. Juggling rings were for kids. Knives were the most valuable items. Altogether, lot appraised at $800. However, that bet with Darrell placed Rene in the red.

Rene: I lost a thousand bucks to Darrell. I over spent on this unit. I was just juggling too many balls to make a profit.

Insert bad joke here.

Profit Scorecard:

Darrell Sheets: $1,598
Jarrod Schulz & Brandi Passante: $0
Ivy Calvin: LOSS-$900
Rene Nezhoda & Casey Nezhoda: LOSS-$1,330

Would you have made a bet with Darrell for $1,ooo?

Please leave your insightful opinions in the comment box below.

Games for the Storage Auction Fan

April 16, 2014

Tiana Bodine

Entertainment

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Have you ever wanted to practice auction techniques or just enjoy the thrill of the hunt without actually participating in an auction?

If so, you’re not alone. There’s a surprisingly large market for storage auction-related games and apps. New games are created regularly to service the niche.

One of the newest on the market is also the biggest: Storage King, an iOS game released by GameDigits LTD.

Storage King follows a format that will be familiar to any storage auction reality show fan. You play as a professional auction hunter facing off against a number of computer-generated opponents. Each player with their own characteristics and habits. You must strategize to ensure a win, but securing the highest bid offers no guarantees.

You might win rare items or a chest full of trash.

Players can collect virtual items. Make virtual profits and compete against their friends through the online leaderboards.

Storage King is the leading game of its kind, but it’s hardly the first game to capitalize on the popularity of the auction-hunting reality show format.

Other popular game apps include Storage Auction, a photo-realistic bidding app that lets you browse and purchase fake storage units. As well as Auction Junktion, an auction-themed strategy game that utilizes trading card game mechanics.

In every case, the format and goal is similar – Provide an entertaining, strategy-based auction experience. Players immerse themselves in the role of a professional auction hunter.

By tapping into the treasure-seeking thrill of the reality shows, these game apps capture the imagination of an audience who might not be willing to jump into the real-world auction scene.

Of course, these games do have some benefits over the real deal. You don’t have to worry about losing money on a bad locker. You don’t get dirty or sore from emptying out a real storage unit. You also don’t stand out in the hot sun in search of that perfect storage unit.

But without risk, there can be no reward. Collecting virtual items is a hollow sort of treasure-hunting when you could be finding real treasures instead.

If you have a bit of storage space, an eye for valuables, and a few extra dollars; why not try real storage auctions instead? They might not be as flashy as their virtual counterparts, but a game can’t furnish your home with antiques or collectibles. Nor can it provide valuable items that can be resold to pad out your retirement fund.

If you’re not sure you’re ready, the right place to start might be online storage auctions, which should have a very familiar format for anyone who spends time on the internet.

Just like in an app, you’ll view the unit, assess the value of the contents, and make a bid. Once you win, you’ll have some real-world items you can keep or resell for a profit – and that’s way more thrilling than any game can offer.

Please leave your insightful opinions in the comment box below.

Online Storage Auctions Now Offering Its Services in Canada

April 16, 2014

Tiana Bodine

News, Online Storage Auctions

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Canada Storage Auctions

OnlineStorageAuctions.com is the first site of its kind to offer a virtual storage auction service completely free to its customers.

Unlike other auction sites, it charges no listing fees and takes no service charges off the top for buyers or sellers.

It’s also a major hub of storage auction information and community for auction-hunters throughout the country. That includes blog posts and the largest dedicated storage auction forum on the web.

Now the site has expanded its services north of the border. Canadians in 14 territories and provinces can now post their storage units up for sale and participate in online auctions.

Canadian members are also always welcomed and encouraged to join the community and share their experiences on the storage auction forum as well.

Membership at OnlineStorageAuctions.com is free and provides access to the following benefits:

— The ability to post, view and bid on storage auctions throughout Canada

— Access to the mobile version of the site for easy bidding and browsing on the go

— Access to the blog, a valuable resource with hundreds of posts on storage auction topics, including breaking news about the industry

— Access to the forum, which is the largest dedicated storage auction forum on the net and includes over 3,000 members

Storage auctions have been occurring in Canada for decades, but they’re quickly gaining traction thanks to the popularity of Storage Wars: Canada, an off-shoot of the popular A&E reality series.

Storage Wars: Canada airs on OLN and is the first Storage Wars spin-off to take place outside of the U.S.

With storage auctions taking center stage on the Canadian airwaves, it’s likely that auctions will gain in popularity. Now Canadians may gain access to the world’s most thorough online storage auction resource which will give you a definite leg up over the competition.

Please leave your creative comments in the box below.

Barry’d Treasure: Show Me the Monkey!

April 15, 2014

Naomi Luc

Barry'd Treasure

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Barry’d Treasure: Season 1, Episode 5: “Show Me the Monkey.”

Barry had the perfect car for a road trip. Or the worst car. It was a 1955 Ford with a glass bubble top. It gave a great view of the country, but was sweltering in the heat. We call it the “Jetson Mobile.” Car of the future. Maybe.

The Collector

Barry stated that the dealer he was working for chose to remain anonymous. Dealer gave Barry free reign to find something cool and one-of-a-kind.

Barry drove 13,000 miles from LA to Austin, Texas, to meet up with his friend Steve. He owned businesses all over Austin and knew the best collectors in town.

Barry: Just beautiful. My first Texas sunset. Let’s get out and smell it.

The Hunt

Barry told Steve he was looking for something really strange, really clever, cool, classic, timeless, elegant, and refined. Glad you’re not asking for the moon, Barry.

Steve was happy to help, but tonight he just wanted to grab a beer and tear it up. Barry was happy in oblige.

Barry: We’ve got tomorrow to worry about tomorrow.

The next day Barry and his new sidekick drove to meet Charles, a collector in Austin. Barry was very impressed by his museum quality collection.

Pristine antique guns. A carved turquoise native American bolo tie. The original wooden sculptures displayed as entrance to Coney Island. One of Napoleon’s dagger. One of General Custer’s original guns.

An animatronic monkey caught Barry’s eye. Put in smoke, wind it up, then it blows smoke through its mouth . Barry decided this was the item he had to acquire for the anonymous collector.

Barry: I actually think I’ve spotted the perfect item, but I really don’t like Charles prices. There’s got to be an angle I can work.

Barry wanted to know if there was anything to cut a deal. Charles showed him a knife that once belonged to a Sultan. It was made of ivory and gold. It had an emerald in its hilt, right on the turban to be exact.

Charles said there was an emerald that had once been in a sultan’s turban. The emerald was owned by Don, a collector who lived nearby. If Barry could make a deal happen for the emerald, he’d get the monkey as commission.

Barry: How hard can it be to get an emerald from a stranger?

The Sale

That was NOT a small gem. It was an 800 karat emerald! Holy Cow!!!

Don wasn’t going to part with it easy. The man liked guns. Charles showed him a self-priming flintlock, beautifully engraved, and made in London.

Don also saw a rare Tiffany lamp worth about 1.5 million. Mongolian suit of armor. Wax figures of The Last Supper.

Don chose to swap the emerald for the gun because he was a true-blue gun collector.

Barry dropped his sidekick back at Austin. Then began the long drive to LA, alone with his monkey (that sounds so wrong on so many levels). Who was the anonymous collector who would acquire the monkey?

Barry Weiss!

Barry and Mr. Monkey lived happily ever after! (Again, that sounds so messed up on so many levels.) Which of the three collectors do you think got the better deal?

Please leave your insightful opinions in the comment box below.