Dave Hester Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Dave Hester’s Net Worth and Salary?

With a net worth of $4 million, Dave Hester is an American businessman and star of reality television. He gained fame as one of the prominent figures in the A&E series “Storage Wars,” which debuted in 2010. Initially, he was a main cast member for the first three seasons, took a break during season four, and then returned for seasons five through twelve. As of now, he has yet to make a comeback. Additionally, Dave owns the Newport Consignment Gallery and Rags to Riches Thrift Store, leveraging his 25 years of experience as an auction hunter.

Early Life

Born on July 23, 1964, at the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base in Oceanside, California, Dave Hester’s heritage is quite diverse—his mother hails from Mexico, while his father is of German and Irish descent. Described frequently by Dave as a “hoarder,” his father served in the military and was passionate about collecting train memorabilia. Instead of attending college, Dave chose to explore the world of auctions alongside his father. However, rather than merely collecting, he sought to profit from this interest. While Dave has one brother, their relationship is reportedly strained.

Career

At the young age of 14, Dave began purchasing machinery and tools from local auctions, reselling them to shops located on the military base where he resided. During the 1990s, he worked extensively in catching big deals at storage facilities. He became a licensed auctioneer in 1992 and sold his father’s extensive train collection, which provided him with capital to establish his business. He opened two stores, including the Newport Consignment Gallery and Rags to Riches thrift store, a 10,000 square foot showroom with freeway frontage in Costa Mesa, California, starting with just 15 employees, where he sells and auctions the treasures he uncovers.

“Storage Wars”

Since 2010, Dave has been featured on the reality television series “Storage Wars,” sharing the screen with auctioneer Dan Dotson and fellow auction hunters Darrell Sheets, Barry Weiss, Jarrod Schulz, and Brandi Passante. The series had a rocky launch, with only a few episodes produced in the beginning. Its premise revolves around auctioning the contents of storage units for which the rent has not been paid. In California, if rent remains unpaid for three months, the contents are auctioned by a licensed auctioneer. The show captures professional buyers who evaluate the contents after a brief five-minute inspection, aiming to turn a profit.

Over time, the series gained popularity, eventually becoming the most-watched program on A&E during its second season. It has continued filming new seasons; the 13th season started airing in April 2021, and a spin-off titled “Storage Wars: Texas,” set in Dallas, is already in production.

Storage Wars Salary

Following a lawsuit initiated by Hester in 2012,

Many intriguing details regarding cast salaries and other contentious allegations were learned by us.

The lawsuit filed by Hester included the most scandalous claim, which was directly related to Brandi Passante. Dave accused the producers of “Storage Wars” of financing Brandi’s breast enhancement to boost the show’s sexual appeal.

Moreover, he contended that all treasures discovered in the storage units were artificially “placed” or “salted” by the producers, and after filming, the cast members were mandated to return the items to the producers instead of selling them, as frequently depicted or suggested.

Lastly, Hester detailed the compensation set for himself and other cast members, breaking it down as follows:

• Each episode earned $25,000 with a guaranteed 26 episodes, totaling a minimum salary of $650,000 per season
• A monthly travel expense of $2,500
• An expense account totaling $124,500
• A signing bonus amounting to $25,000

In summary, Hester indicated that the average earnings for a cast member exceeded $800,000 for a season, with his exact income being $829,500.

Personal Life

For many years, Dave Hester has been wed to Donna Hester, and together they have a son named Dave Hester Jr., who makes occasional appearances on the show alongside Dave. Despite his lively persona on screen, Hester tends to keep his personal life private and is quite introverted.

Controversies and Scandals

In 2005, after being convicted of DUI, Dave completed community service at a local Goodwill store. Known for his spirited and competitive nature, he has engaged in numerous disputes and altercations throughout his time on “Storage Wars.” Following his dismissal from the show in 2012, he initiated a lawsuit against the network. Although he was ordered to pay $122,000 after the lawsuit was dismissed, he declined to do so. He ultimately returned to the show after reaching a settlement. A notable fight featuring Dave, Dan, and Laura was captured on-screen in 2015.

In April 2012, Hester faced a lawsuit concerning his well-known catchphrase “Yup.” Though he had just received a trademark for the phrase, R&B artist Trey Songz asserted that he had been using “Yuuup” since at least 2009. The conflict arose because both Hester and Songz were using the phrase for profit through clothing lines and merchandise. For more information, read this article: Trey Songz Sues Dave Hester Over “Yuuup!” Catchphrase. Here’s a video where we showcase the two versions of “Yuuup” back-to-back for you to assess: