A lot of people typing “Rick Dale wikipedia” into a search bar are really trying to answer one question: what happened to the guy from American Restoration, and is he even still around? This guide gathers what can actually be confirmed about his life and career, points out where the public record gets messy, and tells you plainly which details are still unconfirmed. That last part matters more than usual here, because several widely shared “facts” about Rick Dale contradict each other.
Background: Who Is Rick Dale and Why People Still Search Him
Rick Dale is an American antique restoration expert and the founder of Rick’s Restorations, a metalwork and antique repair shop that used to operate in Las Vegas, Nevada. He first became known to television audiences through guest appearances on the History Channel show Pawn Stars, where he was brought in as the go-to restoration specialist whenever the pawn shop owners needed something old fixed up, from vending machines to gas pumps to motorcycles.
Those appearances were popular enough that History gave Dale his own spin-off, American Restoration, which followed his shop, his family, and his crew as they rebuilt battered vintage items into showroom-quality pieces. The show ran for several seasons and built a loyal following, which is exactly why people are still confused today: partway through the show’s run, Dale and his original team were no longer part of it, and the network never gave a clear public explanation. That unresolved ending is the main reason “Rick Dale wikipedia” keeps showing up in search results years later.
Latest Update
There is no verified news of a death, arrest, health emergency, or major scandal involving Rick Dale. Nothing along those lines could be confirmed by a credible news source, so if you’ve seen a headline suggesting otherwise, treat it as unconfirmed until a reliable outlet reports it directly.
What is actually driving search interest right now is curiosity, not breaking news. People keep asking whether Rick’s Restorations is still operating, and multiple sources agree the original Las Vegas shop location has closed and the building has since been repurposed for other businesses. Dale has reportedly shifted his focus to a smaller venture called My Best Font Forward, which does laser-cut metal art and custom embroidery, and he has been credited as the author of a book about vintage soda machine collecting. He also remains at least somewhat active on social media.
Unconfirmed claim to be aware of: A small number of low-authority sites have recently claimed Dale is opening a barbecue restaurant in Tulum, Mexico. This claim does not appear in any established outlet and could not be independently verified, so it should be treated as unconfirmed, not fact.
In short: no verified new development has surfaced as of this date. The trending interest is people catching up on a years-old mystery, not reacting to something new.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Public sources agree that Rick Dale grew up around mechanical work because of his father, who is described as a mechanic and amateur or professional racer. Several accounts repeat the same origin story: that Dale started restoring items at around age nine, when his father gave him a broken bicycle pulled from a dumpster instead of buying him a new one, telling him he would appreciate it more if he fixed it himself. He has a younger brother, Ron Dale, who worked alongside him on the show as a picker and driver and has reportedly since moved into building custom bicycles.
Unconfirmed: His exact birthplace is disputed, with some sources listing Newport Beach, California, and others listing Las Vegas, Nevada. Neither claim is backed by a verifiable primary source.
Career Path
Dale’s television career began with recurring guest appearances on Pawn Stars starting around 2009, where he was featured as the specialist called in to restore old machinery and antiques for the shop’s owners. That exposure led to American Restoration, which premiered on the History Channel on October 25, 2010, and centered on the daily operations of Rick’s Restorations. The show ran for multiple seasons before it was reformatted around different restoration shops, with Dale’s original cast no longer featured going forward. Since leaving the show, Dale has been linked to a book on classic soda machine collecting and to a smaller laser-cutting and embroidery business he runs with his wife.
Age
Unconfirmed: Sources give two very different birth years for Rick Dale, December 13, 1958, and December 13, 1970, a 12-year gap that cannot be reconciled with current public information. Depending on which year is accurate, he would be in either his mid-fifties or mid-to-late sixties as of 2026. Until a verified primary source confirms one date, his exact age should be treated as unknown.
Religion
Unconfirmed. Rick Dale has not publicly discussed his religious beliefs or affiliation in any interview or profile that could be located, and no credible source addresses this topic.
Spouse/Partner
Rick Dale is married to Kelly Dale, who appeared regularly on American Restoration handling the shop’s paperwork and customer relations. Multiple sources describe the couple as together since the early-to-mid 1990s, and several fan profiles say Dale proposed to Kelly on camera during the show. Some accounts mention an earlier marriage prior to Kelly, but the identity of a first wife and the details of that relationship are inconsistent across sources and should be treated as unconfirmed. Kelly has since been described as working as a real estate agent in the Las Vegas area.
Net Worth
Celebrity Net Worth, a commonly cited (though not independently audited) source for public figures’ finances, estimates Rick Dale’s net worth at around 2 million U.S. dollars as of its most recent update. This figure is not confirmed through any public financial filing or first-party statement from Dale, so it should be read as an industry estimate rather than a verified figure.
Parents
Unconfirmed. Dale’s father is repeatedly described as a mechanic and racer who introduced him to restoration work, but no source names either of his parents or provides verifiable biographical detail about them.
Height
Unconfirmed. No credible profile, interview, or official record lists Rick Dale’s height.
Education
Unconfirmed. Some fan sites mention that his family relocated to Boulder City, Nevada, during his teenage years and that he attended high school there, but no verified source names a specific school or confirms any education beyond that.
Hometown/State of Origin
Rick Dale is most consistently associated with Las Vegas, Nevada, where he built and operated Rick’s Restorations for decades. His birthplace, as noted above, is disputed between California and Nevada across different sources.
Official Social Media
Dale’s most active verified account is on X (formerly Twitter): @_RickDale_. The shop’s associated Instagram account, @official_ricksrestorations, is also tied to his public brand, though it is presented as the business account rather than a strictly personal one.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Richard “Rick” James Dale |
| Known For | American Restoration (History Channel), Rick’s Restorations |
| Born | Unconfirmed (sources say either Dec. 13, 1958 or Dec. 13, 1970) |
| Birthplace | Unconfirmed (Newport Beach, CA or Las Vegas, NV) |
| Hometown/Base | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Spouse | Kelly Dale |
| Children | Son Tyler; stepson Brettly Otterman (other children reported by only single sources, unconfirmed) |
| Net Worth (estimate) | Approx. $2 million (unverified estimate) |
| Current Ventures | My Best Font Forward (laser-cut art/embroidery); author, “Classic Soda Machines” |
| Social Media | X: @_RickDale_; Instagram: @official_ricksrestorations |
Reader Questions (FAQ)
Is Rick Dale still alive in 2026?
Yes, there is no credible report of Rick Dale’s death. Claims suggesting otherwise have not been confirmed by any established news source, and his social media accounts show ongoing activity.
What happened to Rick Dale from American Restoration?
Dale and his original crew were not brought back when History Channel restructured the show around a new format featuring different restoration shops. The network has never publicly explained the decision, so the exact reason remains unofficial and unconfirmed.
Is Rick’s Restorations still open?
No, multiple sources report that the original Las Vegas shop location has closed and the building now houses unrelated businesses. Dale has since moved on to a smaller venture called My Best Font Forward.
How old is Rick Dale?
His exact age is unconfirmed because sources disagree on his birth year, listing either 1958 or 1970. Until a verified source settles the discrepancy, any specific age listed online should be treated as an estimate.
Who is Rick Dale’s wife?
His wife is Kelly Dale, who appeared on American Restoration handling the business side of Rick’s Restorations. She has since been described as working in real estate in the Las Vegas area.
What is Rick Dale’s net worth?
Celebrity Net Worth estimates his net worth at approximately 2 million dollars. This is an unofficial estimate, not a figure confirmed by Dale himself or a financial filing.
Does Rick Dale have an official Wikipedia page?
There is no standalone, dedicated Wikipedia article specifically about Rick Dale as an individual at this time. He is discussed within the Wikipedia article for the show American Restoration, which covers his role as the shop’s owner and the series’ central figure.
Wrap-Up
Rick Dale’s story is a good example of how a reality TV personality can stay searchable for years after their show quietly fades, simply because the ending was never fully explained. What can be said with confidence is straightforward: he built a real business restoring vintage items, that business gave him a platform on Pawn Stars, and that platform turned into his own hit show for several seasons before an unexplained cast change ended his run on History Channel.
Where things get murkier is in the personal details, his exact birth year, his birthplace, his height, his education, and even some of his family specifics are reported inconsistently across the sites that cover him. Rather than pick a version and present it as settled fact, this guide has tried to show you exactly where the disagreement is, so you can judge the reliability of any other article you come across on the same topic.
If a verified update on Rick Dale surfaces, whether that’s a confirmed new business, a health update, or an actual Wikipedia biography being published, this article can be revisited and updated accordingly. Until then, the honest answer to “what is Rick Dale up to” is: quietly out of the restoration spotlight, still working, and still without a fully documented public record.
Thomas Andrew is the founder of Odubio.com, a digital platform sharing inspiring biographies, news, and stories about global icons and achievers.