The colossal cornerstones of commerce. Oversized outfitters. Merchandise Moguls. Mega Stores are giant facilities engineered to keep up with America's supersized habits. They are the largest, busiest places in the country. Their greatest challenge: keeping up with demand on a massive scale, and to do it, they have everything from scuba divers to sandblasters. It's not what's on the shelves--it's what happens behind the scenes.

After Rick's son Tyler stumbles upon a 1950's coffee vending machine, the team has to brew up an instant formula for restoration. Will they turn this junky java dispenser into a vintage valuable, or will this project land them in hot water? And later, Rick is challenged to convert a 1930s Montgomery Ward refrigerator from icebox to wine-box. Can Rick keep his cool as he completes this retro refurbishment or will this arctic assignment cause a Merlot meltdown?

Rick and his crew get their feet wet when a 1952 powerboat ride splashes into the shop. Will this wave rider be an easy-breezy endeavor, or will it be man overboard in rough restoration waters? And later, Rick rolls up his sleeves to tackle a 1940s child's tricycle for a Las Vegas museum. Can he pedal merrily along on this tattered three-wheeler, or will this ankle-biter bike get a flat tire?

Rick and his crew drive full speed ahead when a 1960s coin-operated motorcycle roars into the shop. Can they burn restoration rubber with this kiddie contraption, or will this rapid refurbishment suddenly hit the skids? And later, a client brings in a crumbling 1950s bumper car. Will Rick decide to buckle up and steer this challenging overhaul, or will this retro amusement park ride be more trouble than its worth?

Rick and his crew must launch a rapid refurbishment when the Pawn Stars steer a 1950s Atomic Missile pedal car to the shop. Can they follow the tough trajectory of this hazardous heat-seeker, or will this mission miss its mark? And later, a client brings in a 1930s fare box, once used on public transportation. Can the crew keep this transformation on track, or will this ride-on restoration go off the rails?

It's batter up when a 1940's baseball batting game flies into the shop. Can Rick hit this American pastime out of the park, or will a curve-ball send him back to the bench? And later, the crew is put to the test when they tackle a tarnished 1920s tire changer. Can they overpower this aged apparatus, or will this rusty restoration grind to a halt?

Rick and his crew change gears when a 1967 Honda Scrambler motorcycle swerves into the shop. Can they win the race on this dirt road restoration, or will they run out of gas before the finish line?

Rick and his team flex their muscles when they strong-arm a powerful penny arcade strength tester from the 1940's. Can they get a grip and swiftly squeeze out a macho machine, or will this resistant restoration be too tough to tackle? And later, a client brings in a small gum and cigarette-vending slot machine from the 1930's. Will the team hit a junior jackpot on this gambling gadget or will this miniature machine burst their itty-bitty bubble?

It's the only rock we eat, and we need it to live. History has shown that those who have salt rule the world--and today, this versatile substance has 14,000 known uses. Travel to a salt mine 1,800 feet below Lake Erie where workers blast salt from a massive deposit spanning four states, to an evaporation facility near San Francisco where machines harvest salt from the briny ocean. Visit a Florida restaurant that offers 40 different varieties of salt...and journey to New York to explore salt's surprising number one application: de-icing snowy winter roads. See how a high-tech desalination plant removes salt from ocean water, producing 25 million gallons of drinkable water every day. And if it's speed you're after, look no further than a natural drag strip in Utah made of pure salt.

The colossal cornerstones of commerce. Oversized outfitters. Merchandise Moguls. Mega Stores are giant facilities engineered to keep up with America's supersized habits. They are the largest, busiest places in the country. Their greatest challenge: keeping up with demand on a massive scale, and to do it, they have everything from scuba divers to sandblasters. It's not what's on the shelves--it's what happens behind the scenes.

The Roman Empire, rotten to the core by the fifth century, lay open to barbarian warriors. Europe was beset by famine, plague, persecutions, and a state of war that was so persistent it was only rarely interrupted by peace. These centuries are remembered today as the Dark Ages. Beneath this cloak of darkness were people like Charlemagne, St. Benedict and the Empress Theodora who helped to bridge the gap of civilization between Rome and the Renaissance. Ultimately, these points of light would illuminate the darkness, and Western Europe would rise from the Dark Ages to a level of cultural and political power unseen for a thousand years.

Take a front row seat on a period of U.S. history from 1930-1940 when America's heartland was ravaged by a weather phenomenon that became known as a "black blizzard." Watch as scientists and special effects experts recreate the black blizzards in amazing detail and reveal that this was a man-made disaster. Discover how these phenomena form, what they're made of, and how they affect people's health and the environment. Learn how a black blizzard emerged so ferociously that it seemed like a moving mountain range creating enough static electricity to power New York City. Hear the story of the people who refused to leave their land and learn the history of the Great Plains and how it came to be settled.

Looking for picks in Texas, the guys see a sign for Gilley's Club, the honky-tonk club made famous in the 1980 film Urban Cowboy. Soon they're face to face with country music superstar Mickey Gilley himself who has a warehouse jam-packed with rare Gilley's memorabilia. Later, Paul's sprawling junkyard features a staggering amount of stuff. His grandson Pride takes the guys on an adventure, and when it comes to negotiating, young Pride proves he's tough. Gilley steers the guys north to a peanut factory where Jim has preserved all the big-ticket items from Gilley's, including a mechanical bull. But when Frank gets a load of the bar's original grand piano played by many a music legend, a potential deal is music to his ears!

It's the final day of the season, and hunters are in a hurry to fill their remaining tags before time runs out. As Troy and Junior head to run lines for the final time, the bayou is buzzing. Locals are reporting sightings of a giant gator in the area. Both men set their sights on the beast, to win bragging rights in a bayou showdown. Just a few miles away, Junior and Willie are equally determined. As the only crew that uses treble hooks to hunt in open water, they believe they have the advantage. Across the swamp, Joe and Tommy are feeling a different kind of pressure. A storm blows in off the Gulf...and rain soaks their supply of bullets. To make matters worse, they're too far out in the bayou to head back to the dock for more. They will have to make every shot count. Down the bayou, R.J. and Jay Paul are focused on only one thing: tagging out. The boys are in good position to finish by day's end, with sunny skies and smooth water ahead.

The Pawn Stars get ready to rock when a man brings in an extremely rare original poster from one of Jimi Hendrix's final performances. Will Rick play along with the seller's asking price and make a deal, or will the negotiations hit a sour note? Then, Rick and the Old Man get revved up when a race suit worn and autographed by actor Paul Newman roars into the shop. But will a lack of official paperwork bring the deal to a screeching halt before it reaches the finish line? And later, Rick and Corey are in scoring position when a customer brings in a photo signed by three baseball Hall-of-Famers: Mickey Mantle, Willy Mays and Harmon Killebrew. Can Rick and Corey make a record breaking deal or will they strike out?

The Pawn Stars prepare to fire when an 1830's musket made by cotton-gin inventor Eli Whitney shoots into the shop. Can Rick come up with a perfect battle plan to secure this rare weapon or will he shoot himself in the foot? Then, when a man brings in a golf ball once owned by President Lyndon B. Johnson, Rick attempts to tee up a good deal. Will he sink a hole in one or miss his mark and land in the sand? And later, a man comes into the shop with a 1929 Chicago Cubs World Series press pin. Will Rick and Chum make headlines with this deal, or end up buried on the back page?

It's a great American wilderness--millions of acres of wild, primeval land with its own people, its own technology...and its own rules. Survival there depends on smarts and science, guts and grueling work...and a unique approach to one of the world's most uncompromising environments--swamps. Watch an assembly of the distinctive airboat, then hop on board for a breathtaking journey and discover the surprising history behind this swamp staple of transportation. Take a wild ride on a big-tired swamp buggy, and taste test some local delicacies that bring new meaning to "acquired taste." Witness a massive engineering project to divert the mighty Mississippi River, and meet the machines that make that job possible. Plus come face to face, literally, with enormous pythons and menacing alligators.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Profiles the National Trust for Historic Preservation's "11 Most Endangered Sites": Valley Forge National Historic Park and Market Square Historic District, Pennsylvania; Okeechobee Battlefield, Florida; Lincoln's Summer Retreat, Washington, D.C.; Dwight D. Eisenhower V.A. Medical Center, Kansas; Red Mountain Mining District, Colorado; Santa Anita Racetrack, California; Hudson River Valley Corridor, New York; Nantucket Island, Massachusetts; Wheelock Academy, Oklahoma; historic schools nationwide.

The Roman Empire, rotten to the core by the fifth century, lay open to barbarian warriors. Europe was beset by famine, plague, persecutions, and a state of war that was so persistent it was only rarely interrupted by peace. These centuries are remembered today as the Dark Ages. Beneath this cloak of darkness were people like Charlemagne, St. Benedict and the Empress Theodora who helped to bridge the gap of civilization between Rome and the Renaissance. Ultimately, these points of light would illuminate the darkness, and Western Europe would rise from the Dark Ages to a level of cultural and political power unseen for a thousand years.