Yup...it's him...Mike Wolf...we crossed paths when Lorie and I rented a shop in LeClaire, Iowa from him.
Mike's love of bikes is well known on the show, but every time he got a new one, he'd ride it down to the shop and talk me into a shoot...
Oh look...a loon...Mike has a great eye for the good stuff, I was frequently tempted by all the cool stuff he dragged in and sold at our shop, funky stuff that really sold well...hey Mike, what ever happened to that moth-eaten antelope head...my kinda trash!
Lorie and I had the cutest shop, right on the Mighty Miss, called The Captain's Cottage Antiques...aka The Captain's Wives...the home was a former river boat captain's home back in the day...This home was also featured in Country Living magazine, when fellow dealers, the Merkels' owned it, very primitive inside, both Lorie and I could've easily lived in this lil' home...if I can find the article, I'll post it.
Isn't it just the quaintest lil' thing...snow YUCK!!!
The home was quite old and displayed early river architecture...and Janet Merkel had the most fabulous gardens all 'round the house, to add to it's country flare.
We fell in love with this old counter Mike dragged in to let us use...sigh...and a copper boiler...who knows where he found this stuff...connections and tenacity!!!
This was Mike's lil' shop, you would've loved all the prims inside...it sat outside our back door, so we were slowly starting to fill it's porch with the trash of our trade...junk!
The whole place was just filled with ambiance and we had a blast doing the shop there, until the 'C' word turned me and Lorie's worlds upside down...my son in lawand her mother, brain cancer would force us to forgo our shop together while this tragedy unfolded.
But Mike continues to buy and refurbish old homes and buildings in LeClaire, a quaint town on the Mississippi...and I continue to sell soap at one of the local shops, Grasshoppers, the cutest lil' shop ever.
See, Iowa ain't so boring...come check us out...a lotta history goin' on here.
...time heals all...in a day in the life!
6 comments:
How interesting!! We've all been "American Pickers" a long time, but how clever of Mike to document and sell his business story! He is in a niche market (guy stuff) that has broad appeal.
I would love to do that with architectural pieces, but it's not as interesting to the masses. I'm also not brave (or dumb) enough to knock on doors--although it's safer with a cameraman taping it!!
You come on down girl, and we'll go on a pickin' adventure in Dixie, and get rich selling the story! Yeah right.....
THERE'S the post I've been waiting on! Hard to now imagine him with a shop....
Hubba hubba in a bike! You've made my day...
I am so jealous! He is as cute as a bug and I love the way he gets the old crusty guys to part with their old crusty junk. Please tell him he has fans of his show in Kansas.
Hi Sharon,
Your blog post brings my last few days full circle.
Sunday, we stopped at the "American Pickers" warehouse in LeClaire, and just minutes ago Lorie stopped by the shop. It was so great to meet her.
Also, your birth home is one of my favorites in Muscatine. I have taken many pictures of it and many others over the years.
I just love your blog. Carry On!!
Happy Spring,
Nancy
That picture of you next to the Harley cracks me UP! I'd love to go junking with Mike for a week. Small world, indeed!
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