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American Pickers’ Wolfe drops by antique store
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · April 10, 2014
Mike Wolfe of American Pickers stopped by West Branch on Friday to visit Main Street Antiques and Art and make a couple of purchases.
Several downtown visitors and residents noticed his Antique Archeology van and stopped by to meet the TV star.
Deb Owen, who was watching the store in the absence of owners Lou and Colleen Picek, said Wolfe purchased a Barnum & Bailey 1940s theater marquee poster and a Jolly Roger flag with skull and crossbones. He paid about $600 for the two items with the intention of placing them in his Le Claire, Iowa, or Nashville, Tenn., store.
Owen, who watches the show on the History Channel, recognized him as soon as he walked in.
“I said, ‘You’re Mike Wolfe,’” she said.
Not long after, she counted the first of at least seven people who popped into the store about 3 p.m. Friday to see if he was, indeed, driving the famous van.
A couple, including West Branch Police Chief Mike Horihan, had their picture taken with him, Owen said, and Herbert Hoover National Historic Site Superintendent Pete Swisher invited him to tour the site.
She said he spent about 30 minutes in the store because he was waiting for a phone call to get his business tax identification number, so he could purchase the items without paying tax until he sold them himself.
Owen does not think the star-struck visitors lengthened his stay since he was waiting for the phone call.
“It was fun,” she said. “Clearly people do watch the show since they knew the truck.”
Owen said she resisted asking for an autograph, sticking to business out of respect for the famous customer.
“I didn’t ask,” she said. “It seemed unseemly.”
Wolfe and Picek have purchased items from each other before.
“He’s been here before,” she said. “He likes the town.”
Colleen Picek said Tuesday that Wolfe has stopped by a couple of times when she and Lou have been gone.
She said that circus poster, which included a growling tiger, was a rare item.
“We knew it would take the right person to buy it,” she said.
The Picek’s daughter, Kaylee Picek, and granddaughter, Karma Wright, hurried to their family’s shop when the saw the van.
“Karma’s mouth fell open with a ‘Hi,’” Colleen said, and Kaylee took a picture of the two.
Lou has known Wolfe since before American Pickers went on the air, Colleen said. Main Street Antiques has been in business since June 20, 1975, but she noted that she and Lou do not subscribe to cable TV, so they have never watched the show, though they have heard a lot about it.
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