The 'American Pickers' Show

 Mike, Danielle, And Frank  

The show follows Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz as they travel around the greater Midwestern United States as well as the eastern and southern U.S. buying antiques and collectables. They work with Danielle Colby-Cushman, who runs the office of their business, Antique Archaeology. While Danielle researches potential leads, Mike and Frank attempt to track down potential sellers on the road.

On this trip Mike and Frank are eating on the road again for two days.

First Day! Frank's Breakfast

Second Day! Breakfast For Frank

First Day! Mike's Breakfast

Second Day! Breakfast For Mike

They originally travelled in a Mercedes Sprinter van and now a Ford Transit. Danielle Colby now runs the office of Wolfe's business, Antique Archaeology, from their second location in Nashville, Tennessee. Frank sells his acquisitions at his own shop and on his own website, Frank Fritz Finds, upriver in Savanna, Illinois. The men go on the road, not only following up leads that Danielle has generated, but also "free-styling" - stopping at places that look like they might hold items worth buying. They also pick some places more than once.

  First Day! Frank's Lunch.
 
Second Day! Lunch For Frank
 
  First Day! Mike's Lunch 
 
  Second Day! Lunch For Mike
 
The series introduction is narrated by Wolfe and Fritz. I'm Mike Wolfe. And I'm Frank Fritz. And we're pickers. We travel the back roads of America looking to buy rusty gold. We make a living telling the history of America...one piece at a time.


First Day! Frank's Supper. 
 
Second Day! Supper For Frank

First Day! Mike's Supper
 
Second Day! Supper For Mike

Mike and Frank explore people's homes, barns, sheds, outbuildings, and other places where they have stored antiques and collectibles. They call upon casual collectors, hoarders, and occasionally people who have inherited overwhelming collections of apparent junk. Wolfe, who has been picking since age four, has a particular interest in antique motorcycles, air-cooled Volkswagens, old bicycles, and penny-farthings, while Fritz has a fondness for antique toys, oil cans, and old Hondas. They have purchased old advertisements and commercial signage, film posters, a rare 15-gallon visible gasoline pump, and a Piaggio Ape (pronounced: ah-peh) that one of their friends told them is probably the only one of its kind in North America. 





 

Mike And Frank's Recent Picks




 Mike's Roadster 



One Of Frank's Oil Cans






Danielle Colby Cushman

Danielle's favorite quote: Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun. By Pablo Picasso

Danielle loves to play backgammon and loves everything art related.

Danielle is ambidextrous and she can also recite the alphabet backwards.

One more thing about Danielle is that she loves classical music.

While the guys are out picking, Danielle holds down the fort at Antique Archaeology, Mike’s store and base of operations. She spends her time talking to buyers, packing up shipments and keeping Mike and Frank in line, while they keep her in stitches with their antics and jokes. Mike likes to say she’s the glue that holds them all together.

A mother of three, Danielle is always working on a new creative project, whether it’s painting, designing clothes or selling vintage-inspired gifts online. She feels extremely proud of the “boys” and fortunate to work with such a talented pair.




Frank Fritz

Frank's famous quote: Chocolate come from cocoa, which is a tree, that makes it a plant...so chocolate is a salad. By an unknown author.

Frank's favorite pastimes are weekend tv marathons and playing chinese checkers.

Frank loves to set up miniature train sets in his spare time and collects stamps.

One more thing about Frank is that he loves to play 70's video games and will play them for hours.

Like his buddy Mike, Frank started picking early, collecting rocks and beer cans as a kid. He worked for many years as a fire and safety inspector but always had a passion for antiques and junk. These days, he spends all his time on the road with Mike, digging for treasure in barns, garages and junkyards across America.

Even-tempered and affable, he has a way with potential sellers and a knack for putting out fires: Mike calls him the bearded charmer. Frank does get a little carried away, however, by anything with an engine, and Mike often has to talk him out of buying yet another motorbike for his collection.

With their complementary personalities and shared love of picking, Frank and Mike make the perfect team. Still, since they’re both out to cash in on their finds, some healthy competition always comes into play.


Frank's Store Website



Mike Wolfe

Mike's famous quote: An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. By Benjamin Franklin

Mike's a history buff and he also loves to play scrabble.

Mike has a photographic memory and can name every state in the US in 12 seconds.

One more thing about Mike is that he really loves everything about the 1900's, bicycles, furniture, and art, etc.

A lifelong American picker, Mike has been combing through junk since the age of four. Over the years, he’s earned a reputation as one of the country’s foremost foragers, traveling coast to coast in search of forgotten treasures. Where other people see dilapidated barns and overgrown yards, Mike sees potential goldmines packed with rare finds and sensational stories.

Mike spends as much time as he can on the road, usually with Frank Fritz–his friend of 20 years and picking partner–in tow. “A picker’s kind of like a nomad,” he explains. Wherever they go, the two guys unearth hoards of unique items and spend some quality time with the offbeat characters who own them.

What exactly does Mike look for? “Anything I can make a buck on,” he laughs. That could be anything from antique baby carriages and vintage jukeboxes to old cars and scrap metal. Mike’s clients include interior designers, art directors, photographers and collectors. He also owns Antique Archaeology, a specialty shop that sells antiques, vintage items and folk art in sleepy Le Claire, Iowa.

As Mike sees it, pickers do all the dirty work but dealers and collectors get all the credit. But that doesn’t mean he’s any less passionate about his chosen field. “I love to find stuff,” he says simply.


Mike's Store Website






The satire contained in this article and the fictional nature of it's content – even if based on real people and however similar to real events, is solely for entertainment.