Velocity’s ‘Junkyard Empire’ coming April 22, highlights Andy’s Auto Parts
Don’t tell Andy Cohen that “father knows best.” As the owner of several successful auto businesses Andy manages the complexities of a custom car shop and the mayhem of a fast-paced junkyard where old autos, cast-off car parts and salvageable metals are turned into cold hard cash.
He’s trying to run a well-oiled operation and relies on his dad Bobby to help out by managing the very lucrative junkyard. But Bobby’s easy going, old school ways conflict with Andy’s hard charging style and sparks fly in Velocity’s original new series JUNKYARD EMPIRE, world premiering with back-to-back episodes Wednesday, April 22 at 9 PM and 10 PM ET/PT on Velocity.
“JUNKYARD EMPIRE has all of our viewers’ favorite ingredients – huge personalities, genuine expertise and four-wheeled brilliance,” said Robert Scanlon, General Manager, Velocity. “Andy and Bobby are razor-sharp businessmen who see dollar signs where others don’t. That acumen, their boisterous personalities and the tense father-son dynamic make for an entertaining experience as they turn all of that metal into cash.”
Andy and Bobby Cohen of “Junkyard Empire”
Each hour-long episode of JUNKYARD EMPIRE features Andy Cohen, a jack of all trades with a keen eye for recognizing the high-priced payoff in automotive rubble. Cohen uses his talents to manage the junkyard, as well as a custom car shop. Any monkey wrench that gets thrown into his structured plans cuts into profitability. Bobby, who started the junkyard years ago, thinks his son is spreading himself too thin and insists on “helping” by running the junkyard while Andy is away. Bobby’s relaxed style and alternative plans irritate his son making the high risk/high reward junkyard business even more of a roller coaster ride. At the end of the day the Cohens know how to exploit every greasy part or burned up engine to keep the family empire thriving.
In JUNKYARD EMPIRE the hunt is on for big, washed up metal–cars, motorcycles, boats, homes, campers and heavy equipment–from police impounds, private auctions, dealers, random driveways or old lots. What might look like a rusted out beater to most people is pure gold in the seasoned eyes of Andy and Bobby as they hunt valuable parts, scrap metal or a potential high–end fabrication for their clientele. Once back at the junkyard its pure hustle-and-bustle chaos as cars are lifted, stacked, torched, stripped and scrapped. At the custom car shop the once ruined cars are brought back to life one panel and plug at a time transforming the trash into treasure for high dollar customers.
Upcoming Episodes Include (All Times ET/PT):
“Method to the Mad-ness”
World Premiere
Wednesday, April 22 at 9 PM
For years Andy Cohen has been turning trash into gold by scrapping junkyard cars for big money at Andy’s Auto Parts, but now he’s turning his attention to his custom car shop, Damascus Motors. He’s constantly on the hunt for new ways to drum up business. His showroom manager Collin delivers on a source of new income for the shop – booking Andy’s favorite car, an original Mad Max Interceptor, for a film festival up in Erie, Pa. To collect the $5,000 rental fee Andy calls in a team of Mad Max experts to fix the car, and install a real blower to replace the fake movie prop on the Interceptor. The upcoming weekend is the biggest opportunity yet to build the Damascus Motors brand, but only if the project succeeds.
“Old School vs. New School”
World Premiere
Wednesday, April 22 at 10 PM
Andy knows how to spot a diamond in the rough and fix it up for a quick flip. But his dad Bobby is more old- school. He takes on slow-moving projects and enjoys making customers happy. These competing philosophies are put to the test when two different opportunities arrive at the junkyard. The owners of local brewery DC Brau want a truck they can turn into a rolling taproom. Bobby admires their enthusiasm and wants to help them realize their dream. Andy’s skeptical because it sounds like a big job without much opportunity to make a profit. Meanwhile, Andy learns that an insurance company is looking to unload a Porsche 997 with a heavily damaged interior. Taking a huge risk, he drops big money for the car hoping to patch the interior and re-sell it for big markup. As the beer truck keeps getting more elaborate, Bobby insists it will be a showpiece for generating buzz for Damascus Motors and he knows the DC Brau boys are going to love it.
“My Junk, My Empire”
World Premiere
Wednesday, April 29 at 9 PM
Andy Cohen took over his dad’s Junkyard years ago and has transformed it into a booming business – stripping down cars for used parts, crushing cars for scrap, or fixing up cars and trucks to re-sell. Unfortunately with two locations, multiple projects and not enough workers, Andy finds himself spread too thin. When he’s not there to keep tabs on the business, things can run off the rails. Chief among his problems is his father Bobby, who, despite being in semi-retirement, still hangs out at the junkyard and thinks up ways of helping out. Things start out on the wrong foot when Bobby begins stripping down a tow truck that Andy was hoping to fix up and sell.
“Feeding the Giant”
World Premiere
Wednesday, May 6 at 9 PM
The Cohen family has worked for decades building their junkyard into a successful business. After years of trial and error, Andy and Bobby have it running like a well-oiled machine. Now, Andy wants to flip old cars into event trucks. But Bobby does not like Andy’s new plan, and believes the risk threatens the success of both their shops. Andy is feeling the growing pains too. He’s quickly finding out that mining through impound lots has risks of its own. It takes a highly skilled eye to recognize what’s fixable and what’s scrap. Only Andy has the real experience to pull it off, and his absence at both shops is creating big management problems.
“Humor Me”
World Premiere
Wednesday, May 13 at 9 PM
New, big money-making ideas can make all of the difference when you’re running a junkyard. So when the local ice cream truck rolls up to the junk yard, Andy brainstorms a new business venture. He wants to build mobile food vehicles to rent out for parties and events. He just bought a junked PT Cruiser that he can build out into an ice cream mobile, and figures he’ll make money on the flip and gain credibility in the events truck building business. Bobby wants nothing to do with this project. For him, it’s an all-around foolish idea, and a guaranteed money-loser. Andy’s going to have to work hard to convince his dad that the ice cream truck build is part of a new strategic business plan that could generate big profit for both the junk yard and the auto shop.
“Work Hard, Play Harder”
World Premiere
Wednesday, May 20 at 9 PM
The winter months are rapidly approaching and customers are piling through the doors at the junkyard. To keep up with the demand of customers Andy needs to constantly supply the yard with new parts. He’s out on the hunt when the opportunity to buy a street sweeper to proves to be too good to pass up. Andy rolls the dice and drops $1,500 on the sweeper, but now he’s got to hustle to find a buyer that will make this purchase worth the effort. Unfortunately for Andy the junkyard isn’t the only thing taking up his time. As the boss, Andy has to navigate the planning of an upcoming employee Halloween party that seems to be spiraling out of control, and at home he has to throw a birthday party for his daughter Shelby.
“Junkyard Treasure”
World Premiere
Wednesday, May 27 at 9 PM
With more than one million parts for sale scattered over four acres, the Cohen’s junkyard has tons of money making potential. On a good day, the junkyard sells more than one hundred items, but a recent windfall of cheap inventory has them busting at the seams. While prepping to strip an old El Camino, the Yard Manager spots an expensive hydraulic system installed in the rear of the vehicle. Andy is ready to pounce on this rare opportunity by sending that diamond in the rough to his custom car shop in hopes that his fabrication team can figure out how to flip the hooptie on a tight budget for a big payout. Unfortunately once his mechanic starts working on the classic car it becomes apparent why someone sent it to the junkyard in the first place. The rebuild costs are mounting when a potential buyer arrives and sets a deadline. Now, it’s now up to Andy and his team to finish the project quick or risk losing a potential big sale.
“Putting Out Fires”
World Premiere
Wednesday, June 3 at 9 PM
There’s nothing Andy loves more than taking a financial risk that pays off big for his car empire. So with winter around the corner, when car sales slow to a crawl, Andy’s eager to come up with his next big score. Seeking inspiration, he gets out of the office one day to go off-roading deep in the woods and comes up with a new business idea – building lightweight ATV vehicles for search and rescue teams. Building a prototype is a gamble, there’s no doubt, but Andy’s convinced it’ll mean big profit in the long run. Bobby doesn’t share his vision and protests vehemently. While Andy’s got a used Polaris ATV that he thinks will make the perfect base, he’ll first have to spend thousands of dollars of his own money on parts before he’s even got one order. For Bobby, that’s like throwing money down a black hole.
