As Mike Wolfe embarks on a new adventure, he still looks back — missing the friend and former co-star who shared the journey with him.
The “American Pickers” alum is hitting the road again — this time as host of a new History Channel series, “History’s Greatest Picks.” The show follows the treasure hunter as he digs into the stories behind some of the nation’s most legendary antiques and collectibles.
Noticeably absent to longtime fans of “American Pickers” is Frank Fritz. The beloved picker died in 2024 from complications following a stroke. Wolfe, who worked alongside Fritz for more than a decade, was by his bedside in hospice care.
Wolfe, 61, told Fox News Digital that there would be no “American Pickers” without his beloved pal.
“Frank was there side by side with me when I was pitching the show for five years,” he recalled.
“He never doubted it, just like I never doubted it. We were so focused on what we wanted to do, what we had dreamed of doing together. I filmed with Frank for a little over 10 years, and he’s been part of my family for longer than that. We’ve been friends since eighth grade. He was the godfather to my nieces.”
“To be completely honest with you, I wouldn’t be talking to you now if it wasn’t for Frank,” Wolfe said. “Frank and I built ‘American Pickers.’ We worked side by side for more than 10 years to make that show.”
Fritz and Wolfe became close friends growing up in a small Iowa town, People magazine reported. When Wolfe came up with the idea of driving across the U.S. to find collectibles to buy and resell, Fritz quickly signed on. Season 1 of “American Pickers” premiered in 2010, launching them to stardom.
Then came the challenges that tested their longtime friendship.
Behind the scenes, Fritz battled personal struggles. In a 2021 interview with The Sun, he said he sought treatment for alcohol abuse before his departure from “American Pickers.” The outlet reported he was fired.
Fritz also revealed that he and Wolfe weren’t on speaking terms and that he sometimes felt overshadowed, calling himself second place to Wolfe’s No. 1 status.
Wolfe told People that Fritz injured his back during the pandemic and later underwent surgery. He said Fritz also battled an opioid addiction after the procedure.
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“It’s unfortunate that we had so much bad press,” said Wolfe. “Frank was at a point in his life where he was doing a lot of things that he shouldn’t have been doing. And it doesn’t matter what I want for someone. They have to want it for themselves. And so, it was very sad.”
Despite their bitter rift, the two ultimately reunited in an emotional meeting, the outlet reported. There were even discussions about Fritz potentially returning to “American Pickers.” But in 2022, Fritz suffered a devastating stroke. His longtime friend Annette Oberlander told The Associated Press he never fully recovered.
“Unfortunately, he ended up toward the end of his life in a nursing home for a few years,” said Wolfe. “I would go see him all the time, and we would talk. We loved each other. We’ve always loved each other.”
Wolfe held Fritz’s hand as he took his final breath, according to People.
“There’s a place we used to pick — just acres of things to dig through,” Wolfe recalled. “Before the show, before the cameras, we were exactly the same. We just had incredible chemistry together. I miss him so much.”
“I actually thought about Frank a lot when I was filming this new show,” Wolfe admitted. “I felt a little bit like a duck out of water here. I’m speaking directly to the camera; I’m not just riffing as we did. My craziness had to be harnessed, but I learned a lot making this series.”
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Wolfe said longtime fans who miss Fritz — as he does — will appreciate “History’s Greatest Picks.”
“It’s an extension of ‘American Pickers,’ but we’re not covering something I picked,” he said. “It’s about items others have found. I love being the person who now introduces the story. And in the first episode, we talk about a Strap Tank Harley. Come on, that’s what I’m all about.”
On “American Pickers,” audiences watched Wolfe and Fritz crisscross the nation’s backroads, squeezing into dusty barns and cluttered garages, where they unearthed forgotten antiques buried deep.
At one point, they found a dilapidated van in a small Massachusetts town — the same one that Aerosmith toured in before selling out stadiums.
Wolfe said he’s still haunted by one “pick” he left behind.
“Man, I stepped over so much incredible vintage clothing,” he said with a laugh. “Early denim, early workwear. There was a pair of Levi’s that recently sold for about $240,000. I still think about those sheds with pants hanging on nails or down in the cellar. I wasn’t schooled enough back then. I still daydream about going back to places we picked 10 or 15 years ago.”
Wolfe predicts that “anything handmade and produced in limited numbers” will be the next big thing to collect.
“A buddy of mine is a woodworker — he just spent three months making a rocking chair from imported wood,” he explained.
“We’re such a throwaway, mass-produced society. So, do I think Beanie Babies or Pokémon cards will be collectible in a hundred years? Probably not. But it’s great for right now. Look at the numbers those things are pulling in. The cool thing is younger people are buying, looking and hunting for them. And that’s what we need in this industry.”
Wolfe is confident a new generation of pickers will keep the tradition alive and ensure history isn’t forgotten.
“When I say younger people, I sound like I’m 300 years old,” Wolfe joked. “But younger pickers don’t call it ‘picking.’ They call it ‘sourcing.’ They don’t say ‘antique shop,’ they say ‘vintage shop.’
“But here’s the deal. No matter how you package it, it’s the same thing. We’re telling stories about our history, and there are still people who want to discover these things that deserve to be coveted. I don’t care what they call it — as long as they keep it alive.”
