“We make a living telling the history of America…one piece at a time.”
American Pickers
Yesterday I stopped by Antique Archaeology in LeClaire, Iowa. Mike Wolfe once opened up a bicycle store and repair shop in Bettendorf, Iowa and that eventually led him to collecting and selling antique bikes. Fast forward to today where he is widely known for his show American Pickers which airs on the History Channel.
On the show he and Frank Fritz travel throughout the Midwest looking for antiques and collectibles. I’ll have to double check my facts, but I was once told by a production friend in Iowa that Mike had been shooting You Tube videos for years before his concept became a very popular hit TV program.
File that under “Dream big, but take small steps.”
P.S. I’m actually doing a video shoot today in a barn in Illinois that is similar yet different from American Pickers.
Screenwriting from Iowa 
I love American Pickers. Just like back home (rural SD). Earlier this year came across this.Part of 1 of 3 posts. Talks about his many struggles
.
http://www.scriptmag.com/features/balls-of-steel-american-pickers-to-tv-with-show-creator-mike-wolfe
A fan in Sioux Falls
Janet–That link is perfect. Thanks for sending it. Trying to decide if I should just add it to this post or doing another post on Mike tomorrow.
Love the show, obviously not for the profit motives, but the opportunity to visit small towns, farms and warehouses occupied by people connected emotionally to their possessions. The hosts love meeting people as much as the vintage bicycles and gasoline signs. As I grow older, these folks become kindred spirits connecting the past with the farm on which I drove future collectibles. The thrill of identifying the widgit before the researchers get it right happens rarely, but when it does—!