Who is Jersey Jon from American Pickers?
DESPITE not appearing until season seven, Jersey Jon has become a fan favorite on American Pickers.
American Pickers follows Mike Wolfe and his brother, Robbie, as they travel and search for antiques to sell or keep for their collections.
Who is Jersey Jon?
Jon Szalay, also known as Jersey Jon, is an antique expert who specializes in motorcycles and motorbikes from the early 1900s.
As his name suggests, Jon grew up in New Jersey.
As a teenager, he made extra money by restoring old furniture for people in his neighborhood.
By the age of 17, Jon purchased an old bank, which he converted into a workshop with an apartment on the second floor.
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In the 1980s, he began to focus more on acquiring and restoring the engines of antique motorcycles - more specifically those of the late 19th century and early 20th century, per Looper.
The outlet reports that one of the motorcycles that Jon went on to restore was even shown at a Guggenheim exhibition.
In December 2023, it was revealed that Jersey Jon would become a permanent cast member on the show.
When did Jersey Jon first appear on American Pickers?
Jon first appeared in a season seven episode of the long-running History Channel show. That season premiered in 2012.
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He quickly became a fan favorite, appearing in other episodes, and even taking over for Frank Fritz on one episode airing in January 2021.
In 2021, Jon revealed to the Antique Motorcycle Foundation in an interview that he knew Mike Wolfe before the show ever started.
"He's a great friend," Jersey Jon said.
"When he is working on the East Coast, he sleeps on my couch. And when I go out west for the Davenport meet, he and I would go picking up and down the Mississippi River."
Frank, who is also a friend of Jersey Jon's, was a staple of the show until he left the series in 2020. He left to recover from back surgery, leaving him with 185 stitches and two rods in his spine, The U.S. Sun previously reported.
However, Frank has been in talks to return to the series.
How can I watch American Pickers?
Season 25 of American Pickers premiered on December 27, 2023. It starred Mike, his brother, Robbie, and Danielle Colby.
The show can be watched on the History Channel via cable or streamed on Peacock or Hulu.