American Pickers Return To Indiana
INDIANA – Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz from the History Channel TV show American Pickers will be returning to Indiana in June.
The series debuted Jan. 18, 2010. The premiere episode of American Pickers had 3.1 million viewers, making it the highest rated History Channel debut since Ice Road Truckers in 2007.
Wolfe and Fritz have been to Indiana before and are looking forward to returning. They anticipate being in the area for about two weeks in mid to late June. At this time they do not have a set location schedule for their Indiana trip as this will depend on where the picks come from.
The hit TV show follows Wolfe and Fritz, two of the most skilled pickers in the business, as they hunt for America’s most unique and valuable antiques.
Wolfe and Fritz met in 7th grade when both attended Bettendorf School, Iowa.
Fritz worked for 25 years as a fire inspector and began picking up firefighter and firehouse-related items. After he paid $15 for one item and sold it for $475, he decided he could make a living that way. In 2002, he quit his job and established Frank’s Finds, traveling the country to find items he eventually could sell.
Wolfe worked as a professional picker for over 20 years, putting 60,000 miles per year on his van as he traveled around the country in search of valuable finds.
The two would frequently cross paths during their travels and eventually Wolfe pitched Fritz on the idea of cameras following them at work for a TV show.
Danielle Colby runs the office of the business. The men go on the road following up leads that Colby has generated as well as stopping at places that look as if they might hold items worth buying. Wolfe and Fritz explore people’s homes, barns, sheds, outbuildings and other places where they have stored antiques and collectibles. Wolfe has a particular interest in antique motorcycles, Volkswagens and old bicycles, while Fritz is enthusiastic about oil cans, antique toys and old Hondas.
The duo hope to meet interesting characters with remarkable and exceptional items. They strive to give historically significant objects a new lease on life, while learning a thing or two about America’s past along the way.
If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that Wolfe, Fritz and their team can spend the better part of the day looking through, send your name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to: [email protected] or call 855-OLD-RUST.