Mike Wolfe of ‘American Pickers’ Closes Antique Shop Location

It's hard to believe that it's been nearly eight months since the death of Davenport native and American Pickers alum Frank Fritz. It's also hard to believe the beloved History Channel show is in its 26th season and has aired more than 400 episodes since it began a whopping 15 years ago. It's now officially in the pantheon of one of those shows that could quietly end, and with the wealth of episodes that are constantly in reruns, no one would ever know.

Unfortunately, more sad news has fallen upon American Pickers, specifically the antique store connected to the show. For those unaware, the show's star/host Mike Wolfe owns and operates Antique Archaeology, which is also headquartered in LeClaire, IA. Unfortunately, the shop will be reverting back to one location in lieu of recent news.

According to a social media post from Wolfe himself, Antique Archaeology will be closing its Nashville location. That is the only other location besides the shop's home base in LeClaire. In the aforementioned post, Wolfe said goodbye to the Music City:

After nearly 15 amazing years, we’ve made the tough decision to close the doors of our Antique Archaeology store here in Music City. This place has meant the world to me — not just the brick and mortar, but the people,” Wolfe writes in the post. “The community. The visitors from all over the world who came through those doors, shared their stories, and reminded me every day why I started this journey in the first place - per Mike Wolfe's Instagram post

Wolfe expressed pride in the Nashville neighborhood in which his shop operated, but also said despite the situation being "good," the experience required him to pause and ask himself "where his time was going."

Wolfe continued by saying he plays to "slow down a little," focusing on family and other projects. He said he'll continue to pick and sell online and at the LeClaire, IA store, but he no longer wanted to feel like he was spreading himself thin:

This isn’t goodbye. It’s just a new rhythm. I’ll forever be grateful for every moment in that Nashville space, and for all of you who made it more than just a shop. You made it home - per Mike Wolfe's Instagram post

There's reason to believe that Fritz's death has led to Wolfe recalibrating various aspects of his life. A little over a month after Fritz passed away, Wolfe stated that he was joined by his mother and Fritz's late mother's friend, Annette at Fritz's bedside. Before he passed, Wolfe wanted to make him as comfortable as possible with words of love and compassion:

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I just told him that I wasn't mad at him and that I loved him and that I cared about him so much. And then when I could see that he was struggling, I just said, 'Just go find your mom. Go find her right now. Just go find her.' - Mike Wolfe, per People

Both Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz were able to reunite after a three-year separation back in 2023. To read more about Antique Archaeology closing in Nashville, visit Our Quad Cities' website. Visit Antique Archaeology's website here.