The American Restoration Crew Member Who's More Qualified Than We Realized
The History channel is currently home to a number of hugely successful reality series, like "The Curse Of Oak Island" and "Rust Valley Restorers." In Season 4 of its massively popular antiquing reality show "American Pickers," two of the network's biggest hits of all merged, when then-hosts Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe helped secure a vintage automobile for "Pawn Stars" patriarch Rick Harrison.
In order to ensure the car was in good shape before presenting it to Harrison, the "American Pickers" employed the services of Rick's Restorations, an antique restoration business that served as the subject of the first six seasons of "Pawn Stars" spinoff "American Restoration."
Business owner Rick Dale ultimately secured his own series after appearing as a "Pawn Stars" staple starting in its first season, in which he refurbishes an old Coca-Cola vending machine. However, Season 7 of "American Restoration" is unique in that it shifts focus away from Rick Dale and onto five new and unique antique restoration businesses. Among those is a shop run by someone viewers may not realize is a heavyweight in his industry.
Steve Hale is a master at his craft
Steve's Restorations is one of the antique restoration shops featured on Season 7 of "American Restoration." As it turns out, its owner and namesake Steve Hale has a list of qualifications to his name that suggest he's a leading expert in his field.
On the History website, for example, a profile of Steve's Restorations begins by boasting of Hale's accomplishments and longtime devotion to his trade. "Owner Steve Hale is considered by many to be an industry prodigy, having been in the restoration business since he was 16 years old and painting hot rods in his garage. Years later, Steve and his crew have stepped on the gas and put their abilities to the hundreds of challenging projects that come through the shop doors each year," the bio reads.
Furthermore, the official website for Steve's Restorations includes a lengthy list of milestones Hale has accomplished through his work from 2004 to 2019. The list begins by describing a 1960 Jaguar Hale restored, beating out 149 other competitors and winning a car competition. After numerous similar entries, it ends with his reception of a prize at an annual event called the Concours d' Elegance of Amelia Island.
While amateurs entering into a new industry can oftentimes make for compelling reality TV, Hale is the real deal, backing up his TV stardom with years of antique restoration experience.