Plot Synopsis

ABANDONED follows craftsman and collector Jay Chaikin -- with his partners Dan Graham and Mark Pakenas and his wife Ricki -- as they uncover forgotten pieces from dilapidated buildings and transform their discoveries into sought-after collectibles, antiques and recycled home furnishings. Before the bulldozers roll in, their mission is to dig through these dark, dank and abandoned structures in the hopes of uncovering forgotten pieces of American history that may just be worth a lot of money. Armed with flashlights, walkie-talkies and brute muscle strength, the guys venture into spooky basements and structurally unsound buildings to find valuables that can be refurbished and resold. Along the way, they'll find classic items like Coca-Cola memorabilia, an Edison phonograph and a Zenith radio, as well as surprising discoveries like an early radiator oven, a top-secret manual for a Boeing B-52 bomber, and a stained glass window worth $10,000. When Jay returns home to Sellersville, PA, he brings his purchases to his workshop, transforming carts into leather chairs and mill hoppers into custom coffee tables. In the first season, the teams rummages through: an abandoned barn, house and mill in Westminster, MD; Philadelphia's historic Church of the Nativity; the former Pabst Brewing headquarters in Milwaukee, WI; a shuttered silk mill in Lonaconing, MD; The Owens Homestead in the backwoods of Fulton, MS; an old abandoned bank in the center of Oil City, PA; a paper factory the size of 12 football fields in Jay, ME; and many other abandoned, dilapidated structures. ABANDONED originally aired as a 30-minute special on History Channel on Friday, December 30, 2011 at 11pm ET.
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On Friday, November 4, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT, Viceland premiered the season finale of ABANDONED. In the season ender, "Two Detroits," Rick gets the lowdown on the continued growing pains of the Motor City. Even though Detroit is the poster child for urban blight, it's also the most hyped comeback city in the United States.