American Pickers

We are not big TV watchers, but while recuperating from a medical problem a few weeks ago, we started watching “American Pickers” (www.history.com/shows/american-pickers) and Pawn Stars (www.gspawn.com ) on the History Channel. We’ve never been to Rick’s pawn shop during any of our Las Vegas trips, but we have made several attempts to visit the American Pickers. So far, they have never been at their Iowa location when we were.

You see, most years we go to Davenport, Iowa, on Labor Day weekend for the antique motorcycle show sponsored by the Blackhawk Chapter (www.chiefblackhawk.org) of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America (www.antiquemotorcycle.org). The American Pickers' original home — called Antique Archaeology (www.antiquearchaeology.com) — is located nearby in the historic Mississippi River town of LeClaire, Iowa (the birthplace of Buffalo Bill.)

We stopped to see the two-story building — a former fabrication shop — on two of our trips to Davenport. According to the Antique Archeology Website, the LeClaire location now houses the Pickers best picks and a new merchandise store. It is still the home base for the “American Pickers” TV Show.

The reason the store was closed when we stopped by is that the American Pickers are also swap meet vendors at the Blackhawk motorcycle meet. In fact, we have seen them there. (As an aside, they also visited Unionville in Symco, Wis., which is only two miles from our Gunner’s Great Garage shop.)

Although no one was home both times we stopped in LeClaire, we managed to snap some pictures of the place and the old cars they had hanging around. Maybe someday we’ll pass through LeClaire when the Pickers are home.