Storage Wars: The Locker That Barry Weiss Claims Made Him $10,000

A&E's "Storage Wars" is full of expert buyers who have been scouring storage locker auctions since the show's debut in 2010. The reality series follows them as they discover what, exactly, it is that they've bought ... and whether they have any chance of turning it into a cozy profit.

And then there is Barry Weiss. "The Collector" is less of a shrewd bargainer out to make a profit and more of a chaotic presence who treats the bidding business as a playing ground for his various eccentricities. There's no telling which peculiar figures from his neverending list of contacts he brings in for any given episode, and what tactics he employs for the auction of the week. However, at least part of his flamboyance is an admitted act to throw his fellow buyers off guard. As a result, he's made some pretty decent deals over the years ... though, as his nickname implies, he's usually just as likely to keep a cool curio as he is to sell it. 

As befits his offbeat persona, one of the best deals Weiss made in the show is also one of the biggest surprises found inside "Storage Wars" units: a locker that was full of motorcycle engines. In a 2014 interview with Share TV, he revealed that this particular deal alone made him a cool five-figure profit. "A couple years ago I bought a 10' by 20' locker that was completely filled with motorcycle parts," he said. "The locker had like 30 engines but no complete bikes. I made a good $10,000 on that one. If I pieced it off I could have made a lot more but I sold it to one guy."

As the resident eccentric of the show's first four seasons (as well as Season 14, for which he returned), Weiss is such a magnetic presence that he even got two spin-off shows, "Barry'd Treasures" and "Storage Wars: Barry Strikes Back." This is ironic because while he's entertaining, he's not exactly a professional bargain hunter. In the Share TV interview, he noted that he only ended up in the show because he's friends with "Storage Wars" creator Thom Beers. "I was not familiar with storage auctions," he said. "I have been to numerous state and antique auctions but had never even heard of these. It was interesting and I fell into something really cool, man." 

Weiss also said that while he's grown fond of the buying business, he doesn't view it as the kind of thing he'd actually want to do for a living. "Well, if it looked like I didn't take it as serious as the others, it's because I didn't," he said. "They do, and they should because they have businesses to run. I would run through hell with gasoline pants on before I owned a thrift shop. It sounds like a stressful gig to me."

The Collector's happy-go-lucky attitude extends to the way he originally exited the show. Weiss left "Storage Wars" behind not because he needed to or because he was removed — but for the simple reason that he felt like walking out at the height of his popularity would be cool.