Mike Wolfe

November 6, 2024

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Mike Wolfe, born on November 6, 1964, earned a name for himself as a professional treasure hunter, traveling across the country in the quest for “rusty gold” to buy and sell in his two Antique Archaeology businesses. He is best known for co-hosting “American Pickers” on The History Channel. The show follows Wolfe and his brother Robbie as they travel throughout the country looking for antiques. “American Pickers” is one of The History Channel’s most popular shows, having aired more than 300 episodes over 23 seasons as of this writing. Wolfe deserves a grand birthday party here.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Mike Wolfe

Birth date:

November 6, 1964

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Scorpio

Height:

6' 0"

Relationship Status:

In a relationship

Net Worth:

$7 million

Background

Mike Wolfe was born in Joliet, Illinois, on November 6, 1964. Mike’s mother, Rita, single-handedly raised him and his two siblings, Beth and Robbie. He began picking at an early age after the family moved to Bettendorf, Iowa, collecting old bikes from a neighbor’s garbage. He afterward began seeking for goods to sell in alleyways and abandoned houses. Wolfe went to Bettendorf High School and graduated from Sudlow Intermediate School.

Wolfe was first drawn to antique bicycles, which led to a career in competitive racing and the establishment of The Village Bike Shop. He started a business named “Antique Archaeology” in Le Claire, Iowa in 2000 and opened a second branch in Nashville, Tennessee in 2011. Wolfe started selling his lighting line, Rustorations, at the Nashville store in 2012. Wolfe’s reputation for uncovering buried treasures drew The History Channel’s attention, and “American Pickers” was launched on January 18, 2010, with over three million viewers. The show was the network’s highest-rated premiere since the premiere of “Ice Road Truckers” in 2007. He has also launched Two Lanes, a line of American-made apparel and accessories and owns Two Lanes Guesthouse, a rental property in Columbia, Tennessee, where guests can “see picks from the show that Mike has pulled out of barns and sheds across America presented as decor,” in addition to his work on “American Pickers.” Two Lanes Guesthouse is located above Wolfe’s Trek Bicycle Shop. He signed an endorsement contract with Indian Motorcycles in 2012 and produced a sitcom that C.B.S. bought, and he guested on “N.C.I.S.” as himself in 2018.

On September 8, 2012, Wolfe wed Jodi Faeth in an intimate marriage ceremony in Tennessee. Eight months before they married, the couple welcomed their daughter, Charlie. Wolfe and Faeth separated in June 2020.

Career timeline

2000

His First Antique Shop

Mike Wolfe starts Antique Archaeology in Le Claire, Iowa, where he sells the actual vintage and antique items he finds along the way.

2010

The Launch of His Show

"American Pickers" premieres on The History Channel.

2011

His Second Antique Shop

Wolfe puts up a second store of Antique Archaeology in Nashville, Tennessee.

2012

Selling His Lighting Collection

He launches his lighting line, Rustorations, at the Nashville store.

Why We Love Mike Wolfe

He has a passion for his work
Mike Wolfe has always enjoyed collecting since he was a child. As a result, he has turned his hobby into a vocation and has achieved success. This passion gave birth to many other ventures such as T.V. production and book publishing.
He loves animals
He is an avid dog lover and has two dogs that he considers family. Wolfe likewise supports animal shelters and even joined the 2012 Adopt, Don’t Shop! Campaign of Last Chance for Animals, a national animal rights organization based in Los Angeles.
He is a charitable man
Wolfe is a member of various philanthropic organizations, and his name has been linked to a slew of charitable endeavors. He has also aided in the fundraising efforts of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, A.S.C.P.A., Operation Smile, and others.

5 Surprising Facts

He is an author
Mike Wolfe published two books — "American Pickers Guide to Picking" in 2011 and "Kid Pickers: How to Turn Junk into Treasure" in 2013.
He co-produced an album
Wolfe co-produced the album "Music to Pick By," which features renowned Nashville producer Brian Ahern compiling a mix of picking-friendly compositions.
He has several motorcycle collections
His motorcycle collection includes a 1948 Indian, a 1913 twin with pedal cranks, and his first motorbike, a Kawasaki 100, which he updated to a Honda Elsinore 250.
He was a competitive bicycle racer
Wolfe was a competitive cyclist in his early 20s, competing in Cat 4 and Cat 3 races from 1989 to 1998.
A soft spot for old buildings
Wolfe's passion for restoring things extends beyond motorcycles and souvenirs to historic structures, which abound in his hometown of LeClaire.

Mike Wolfe FAQs

Are Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz still friends?

Fritz disclosed some behind-the-scenes turmoil in an interview with “The Sun” that many fans were unaware of. “I didn’t get up and leave the show. I finished shooting, had some back surgery, and then the pandemic struck,” Fritz clarified. He continued by saying that he and Wolfe are no longer in contact.

What happened to Frank Fritz on “American Pickers?”

After a nearly two-year break from the show to recover from a back surgery that left him with 185 stitches and two rods in his spine, Fritz was dismissed.