EDITOR’S NOTE: The A&E TV series is NOT filming in Caro, but those who enjoy the program “Storage Wars” will have the opportunity to bid on storage units — just like on that show — April 18 at Caro Rental.
By Mary Drier
Staff Writer
CARO — Storage Wars! Caro Rental has 14 storage units scheduled for auction 9 a.m., Saturday, April 18 — just like on the reality television show “Storage Wars” on the A&E Network.
The television show “Storage Wars” premiered in December 2010. Since the program started, interest in buying unclaimed storage compartments increased.
“Before the show, we had about a dozen or so people who would show up for an auction,” said Dick Fullmer who owns Caro Rental. “Now, we have about 30 or 40 who come. We have some who are regulars.”
The TV show has a colorful cast of characters. There is Brandi Passante and Jarrod Schulz, who are known as the Young Guns. There is Darrell Sheets who is known as “The Gambler.” Barry Weiss who is known as “The Collector,” and Dave Hester known as the “The Mogul.”
Those who attend local unit auctions are average people looking for a deal, are curious, or those who are looking for garage sale items to sell piecemeal, noted Fullmer.
One thing that holds true for both the show and local auctions, finding a safe in a storage unit draws a lot attention.
“Whenever there is a unit with a safe, there is interest whether it is a safe or a gun safe. People are curious and want to know what is in it,” he said. “They all hope to find a lot of money or something valuable, but mostly they don’t.
“Buying units is fun because you never know what you are going to find.”
According to Fullmer, it’s rare to find something really valuable in local storage units, and he says he is skeptical of the fabulous finds on the televised program.
Just like in the television show when rent is not paid on a storage unit for three months, the contents can be auctioned. However, there are several steps before that. The person who rented the unit has to be contacted they are behind in rent one month. They are given notice when they are two months late that items in the unit will be auctioned if the rent isn’t paid along with late charges. If there is still no response, a register letter is sent the third month they are behind giving the date and time of the auction. Then a notice of auction has to run in the paper for two weeks.
During that time, rental fees accumulate along with late charges as well as administration fees to cover time, postage and newspaper advertisements of the auction. If the person who is renting the unit, plays up the rent and fees before the auction, then they can keep their belongings.
“Generally, by the time it gets down to the auction only about eight to 10 (units) will be left because they realize I’m serious about auctioning so most will pay up,” said Fullmer.
Unlike the reality show which only allows bidders to see what is in the storage unit from the outside, the auction at Caro Rental, 466 Ellington St., Caro, has items pulled out to allow bidders to look through the boxes.
Even though Fullmer has to put a lot of effort into trying the contact a unit’s owner to pay and incurs expenses, he doesn’t make a profit from the auction no matter how high the bidding goes. All he gets to pocket is his actual expenses – back rent, postage, administrative fees, and advertising costs.
“Any money over was is owed goes to the unit’s owner,” he said. “In the 30 some years I’ve been doing this, that has happened twice.”
Fullmer noted some of those who buys a unit will try to give sentimental items back to the owner.
“They will bring in wedding and baby pictures, and family albums they found in the units asking me to get them back to the owners,” said Fullmer noting sometimes he is able to, but not often.
One of the most unique items he had a buyer bring back is a container of someone’s cremated ashes. He put the container in a safe place hoping a family member will claim them someday.
Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.