‘ABANDONED’ INTERVIEW: Jay Chaikin on turning forgotten relics into money-making treasures

Jay Chaikin wants to look at the junk you have lying around the house. The star of National Geographic Channel’s new reality series Abandoned makes an unusual living out of traveling around the United States and scoping out dilapidated buildings that may hold a treasure trove of antiques and collectibles. If it’s dusty and dirty, there’s a good chance that Chaikin, his partners Dan Graham and Mark Pakenas, and his wife Ricki want to find it, restore it and sell it for the highest price possible.

Abandoned airs on National Geographic Channel Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. The Aug. 29 episode finds the team heading out to the historic Pabst Blue Ribbon Factory in Milwaukee. There’s no telling what they may find among the brewery clutter.

Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged e-mails with Jay Chaikin. Here’s what he had to say about the upcoming season of Abandoned.

How did you get involved in this profession? It’s a pretty unusual job.

It all began with my love for woodworking and history. We began in 1996, building handmade furniture and running an antique store. I love working with antique wood and thinking about the people that have used it throughout the years. Because of my appreciation for history, I began solely using authentic materials and methods from the 1800s when making my furniture. I would find old buildings from which to salvage the wood and over the years our business evolved into a reclaimed wood and structures business.

We began using antique wood to create beautiful flooring, build additions, or reconstruct barns in their entirety. Reclaimed Relics is the sister business to JCWoodworking and focuses on the objects within the buildings, rather than the buildings themselves. My love for history has fueled it all; working with antiques is in my blood and I love saving and repurposing beautiful pieces of history.

Did you learn the value of many things just by experience? How did you learn about what makes a good historical find?

It’s certainly been a learning curve! Determining the value of items has definitely come from years of experience. It’s also come from a lot of research. We try to learn as much as we can about each of our items.

There are several factors that make for a good historical find. One important aspect is rarity; if we can find something that nobody else has, that’s always a good thing. We also look for objects that have stories. If we find a piece that is connected to someone or some event of historical importance, that’s definitely a great find! Ultimately though, every piece is a great historical find. Because it’s not really about the item, it’s about the fact that it links us to our country’s history. Something as simple as a hand-hewn log can tell me about a man’s past. Every single object I come across is valuable to me in the way it tells a story.

What’s the single greatest find from you career? Is there one object that was truly remarkable?

Honestly, the biggest treasure for me is getting to know the people and histories behind the objects that I find. The items that might seem worthless to most people tell the most amazing stories. For example, I was taking down an abandoned log cabin and found three brass buttons. Some people wouldn’t think twice about them, but to me, they were a clue about the family that once lived there. The buttons were from a USA-issued army coat from the Second World War. The way my mind works, I immediately became curious about the owner of those buttons and wondered if he had survived the war. As we continued to excavate the house, I found more clues to this man’s story. We found a letter buried in the wall, from the soldier to his wife, talking about holding fast to the promise they had made each other. He told her that while he had received physical wounds, they paled in comparison to the emotional wounds. Eventually, I found his initials in concrete on the front step, dated after the end of World War II, so I knew he had made it home.

Something as small as three buttons, seemingly worthless, are often the most exciting to me. To this day, I carry those three buttons with me everywhere I go. I have only separated with them once: to let my son take them to school for show and tell. I was so proud that he too saw their value. I love the way objects are linked to individuals and to our country’s past. Being able to piece together stories of American history is the biggest treasure for me.

Your exploration of the Pabst Blue Ribbon Factory sounds really interesting. Was this a good location for your team?

Pabst Blue Ribbon Factory was definitely one of our most fun locations! It was a great site. But it was also one of the most challenging from a business perspective. One challenge, which we come across a lot, is that the owner was still attached to many of the items there. In addition, a lot of the items at Pabst were memorabilia; since we usually deal more with antiques, this was a little outside our normal range of operation. So it was a learning experience for us, but definitely worth it! Mark (Pakenas), who is a PBR drinker, thought he had died and gone to heaven and exploring that particular location with him was a priceless experience! The owner of that location gave Mark a vintage Pabst service shirt and hat … He hasn’t taken them off yet and has asked to be buried in them.

How do you make the decision to restore an item or repurpose it for something entirely different?

It really depends on the item. If possible, our first choice is always to restore objects to their original condition. Often, however, these items are just too far gone to completely restore them. But I don’t see an item as less valuable just because it can’t be used the way it was originally intended. That’s where I get to use my creative side! I can look at an item and envision something completely different. For example, I think it’s a beautiful thing to be able to take an old cradle from a grist mill and turn it into a beautiful coffee table for someone’s home. Often, these items would otherwise go completely unused; by repurposing them, we’re able save a piece of American history.

Could you talk about being able to work so closely with your wife? That seems extra special to spend so much time together.

We wouldn’t have it any other way! It can definitely be a challenge sometimes to separate work from our married life. After a bad day at work it can be like sleeping next to a barbed wire fence! But without a doubt, the positives outweigh the negatives. Our strengths complement each other and we each bring something unique to the table. I’m the brawn and Ricki’s the brains, I’m the creative one and Ricki’s the business-minded one. Neither of us could do this on our own. When our minds are aligned, we’re unstoppable! We feel very blessed to have this opportunity.

(My wife made me say this … but 99% of the time I’m the boss … because she said I could be)

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Abandoned airs on National Geographic Channel Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. Click here for more information.