Ep 1. Cast Iron Storefront

Salvage Dawgs is a reality television show that follows the crew of Black Dog Salvage, a salvage company based in Virginia. The crew makes their living by salvaging old buildings and materials, repurposing them and selling them to customers as antiques and fixtures. In season 4, episode 1, titled Cast Iron Storefront, the Salvage Dawgs team tackles an impressive salvage project of a cast-iron storefront in downtown Fincastle, Virginia.

The episode begins with Mike, Robert, and the crew heading to Fincastle, a small town with a population of just under 300 people, to scope out a cast-iron storefront on Main Street. The storefront had been built in the late 1800s and had been a bank for a time before being turned into a general store. The building itself had not been used for more than ten years, and the owner had put it up for sale. The team saw the potential in the cast-iron façade and decided to purchase it.

The Salvage Dawgs team began their work by first clearing out all the contents of the store. They removed the shelving and countertops, so it was easier for them to dismantle the interior. They then began working on removing the cast-iron columns from the storefront one by one. The columns were bolted together, making it a challenging process to remove them without damaging them.

Next, they moved onto the storefront's cornice, which was made up of several pieces of cast iron. Removing the cornice was a delicate process. They used an excavator to lift the cornice off the building and placed it onto their rolling cart. Once the cornice was removed, they began working on the pediment, which was just as intricate as the cornice.

As the team worked on stripping the building's façade, they discovered a surprise in the form of a mural that had been painted on the interior wall of the building's facade. The mural, which depicted a quaint early 1900s streetscape, was in excellent condition. The team took great care to remove the mural in one piece so they could sell it to interested buyers.

The team had to work quickly to remove the storefront's cast iron, as they were facing a challenging deadline. They had only three days to finish the job until the town's annual Memorial Day parade, and they had to make sure Main Street was cleared of all equipment and debris before the event began.

The team worked tirelessly to ensure that the storefront's cast iron was removed and salvaged as efficiently as possible. They successfully managed to remove the cast iron columns, cornice, and pediment, leaving the storefront a bare-bones shell. With the façade removed, they could transport the cast iron back to their salvage yard for restoration and sale.

The episode's climax comes on the final day as the Salvage Dawgs team raced against the clock to finish the job before the Memorial Day parade began. The team loaded up their trucks, and they cleared the site, leaving Main Street ready for the parade.

In conclusion, Salvage Dawgs season 4 episode 1, Cast Iron Storefront, was an exciting watch for the show's fans as it showcased the team's exceptional salvaging techniques. The cast-iron storefront that was the episode's centerpiece held a lot of history and potential value, and it was a delight to see the team's skill and care as they took the building apart. The deadline added an additional intensity to the show that kept viewers on the edge of their seats.