Dave Hester is a controversial Storage Wars legend who isn't a season 13 cast member, and we've found out what he was up to before the new season premiered. While most of the Storage Wars press these days is about Brandi Passante and Jarrod Schulz's shocking split, which actually happened years ago, fans of the show are always curious about Hester. His wily, hard-nosed approach to making money from even the craziest storage locker contents will never be forgotten. His allegation that Storage Wars producers salted lockers with interesting items to boost the drama also makes him memorable. Hester has a knack for getting attention, whether he is appearing on the show or talking about it away from A&E cameras.
Hester was born on July 23, 1964, in Northern California. He is currently 56 years of age. Fans got to know him during Storage Wars season one. He was introduced in the first episode of the series, "High Noon in the High Desert." He is known for his trademark response, "Yuuup!" and is also notorious for his feuds with former castmates, including Laura and Dan Dotson. TMZ reported that Dan once threatened Dave, who then hit him. The chaos ramped up when Don's wife jumped on Hester's back. This brawl erupted on the show's set in 2015. Three years earlier, Hester sued A&E and the show's production company, Original Productions, for wrongful termination, as per Deadline. In 2014, the lawsuit was settled and the terms of the agreement are sealed. In light of the legal tangle, fans were surprised when Hester returned to the Storage Wars fold for season 6.
Dave has moved on from the days when he claimed the show was fake after getting fired. Dave Hester's verified Twitter account, @davethemogul, provides a treasure trove of information about his recent activities. Earlier this week, Hester promoted an online auction on Twitter. The auction is happening at the Proxibid platform. Prospective bidders who are in the market for HVAC dehumidifiers may want to make offers. Hester is still doing what he does best, which is turning one person's trash into another person's treasure. Earlier tweets for online or offline auctions include some interesting items, such as marble Foo dogs, a Bentley Turbo R, and intriguing "large jade boats." Hester is wearing many hats. He's holding auctions, selling items at flea markets (he's also sold on Etsy), and doing meet and greets. See his tweet about "exploring Boise" below:
Exploring Boise and history of Idaho. Can't wait to see my Idaho fans at the Idaho's Largest Garage Sale this Saturday! I will be signing photographs 2-5pm! #YUUUP! #storagewars#aetvpic.twitter.com/JEoZQ7aODk
— Dave Hester (@davethemogul) May 17, 2019
He works a lot and seems to thrive on the activity. His desire to make a buck likely energizes him. However, he does find time to relax, and even shows a softer side on Twitter. This may surprise some fans who think of him only as a former Storage Wars tormenter. For example, he's a dog lover (he promoted an event called Pugtoberfest and owns two pugs, Pinky and Violet). His pooches have their own Instagram, @davelovespugs. See the pampered pets below:
Hester is a crafty entrepreneur who leverages his Storage Wars fame to earn cold, hard cash. However, he's also a family man who's married to Donna Hester and the father of Dave Jr. (most Storage Wars fans have seen Dave Jr. on the show). Dave Sr. is a baseball fan, a foodie, and the kind of guy who loves the beach and his Mom. There are many layers to Dave Hester, who may have exposed secrets that the Storage Wars cast wants to bury. Plenty of fans hope that he'll come back to the series someday.
Sources: TMZ, Deadline, @davethemogul/Twitter, @davelovespugs/Instagram