Since making its debut on the History channel way back in 2010,
American Pickers has become one of the most beloved shows on television, airing over 300
episodes and counting. It's also made stars of series regulars Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe,
who've managed to turn their love of digging for gold in the backyards and broken-down
barns of America into a full-blown media empire — one that's also afforded them a
pair of cathedral-like antique stores, both of which are now legit tourist destinations.
But there's at least one antique they found that American Pickers star Mike
Wolfe wishes he had held onto. And it's not what you probably think.
Wolfe, of course, is famous for his love of bikes. Whether it's vintage motorcycles or
rusted out old pedal pushers, Wolfe has a thing for everything two wheeled. So you'd be forgiven
for assuming that his biggest regret is getting rid of an old Harley or Huffy. You'd be forgiven,
but you'd still be wrong, because the item Wolfe is most miffed about getting
rid of is actually an old pair of vintage children's cowboy boots.
Sounds weird, but you know what they say.
"If the boot. Fits."
"Okay, cowboy."
In a 2016 interview with Country Living, Wolfe gave the whole sad backstory, while also advising
any would-be pickers to listen to that little voice in the back of your head. When it tells
you to buy something, buy it, and when it tells you not to sell something, don't sell it.
In Wolfe's case, that pair of kid's cowboy boots took on a whole new significance
after his wife became pregnant with their daughter Charlie. He told Country Living,
"Before Charlie was born, I always had a thing for vintage kids' cowboy boots.
I once found a pair, but I sold them and immediately regretted doing so."
Luckily, Wolfe got a second chance and he made the most of it,
turning an interest into a full blown obsession.
"When Jodi was pregnant, I found a second pair. It felt like fate, so I started collecting them."
Now, Wolfe buys vintage children's cowboy boots every chance he gets,
and once he buys them, they stay with him;
he showed off at least a half dozen pairs to Country Living as proof of his dedication.
Wolfe also shared some of his secrets to amassing a collection like his,
whether your interest is in kids' cowboy boots, old bikes, or some other type of
rusty gold. His first tip is simply to follow your nose and see what you find.
That run down barn over there? Who knows, it might have a massive pile of tiny old
cowboy boots in it. Or maybe it will have just one gigantic boot instead, who knows!
"Okay, stand it up. That's awesome!"
Wolfe explained,
"I've found my best picks by driving to the middle of nowhere,
then taking the first gravel road I see."
Of course, there are some dangers in approaching random houses in the middle of nowhere.
"If someone's putting their boot on your neck, you gotta get used to that."
And for prospective pickers hoping to spice up their home with some vintage artifacts,
Wolfe had another big tip: don't stop at just one, buy multiples if you can.
"They can be really cool when done right. I like to display objects with similar
textures, time periods, and genres for visual continuity. In my office,
each shelf has a theme: bikes, motorcycles,
aviation, and cars. It's easy to go overboard, though, so I like to stick to just one spot."
Like Mike Wolfe with his vintage bikes and his wee little boots,
once you find something you're passionate about, the thrill of the hunt and the
excitement of finding a new addition to your collection is what makes picking so much fun.
Of course, while Wolfe no doubt will be adding to his boot collection in the future,
he and partner Frank Fritz were derailed in 2020, as the Coronavirus forced them to
temporarily shut down production of American Pickers. Wolfe used that time to advocate for
reinvesting in local communities, and to focus on another part of his collection:
buying and restoring vintage buildings to help bring back small town Main Street.
"these communities are an important part of the heart and soul of america"
From boots to boutiques, turns out that in the world of picking,
there's nothing too big... or too small!
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more Looper videos about your favorite stuff are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.