BIDDEFORD — To Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, the old adage that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” are more than mere words, they are a way of life.

Since they first began hosting the popular “American Pickers” on cable television’s History Channel in 2010, Wolfe and Fritz have made numerous trips to Maine to film episodes of the television series, but now they’re headed to Biddeford and the surrounding area searching for exceptional items and colorful characters and fascinating stories associated with the items for their show.

“We’re looking for amazing things buried in people’s garages and barns. What most people see as junk, we see as dollar signs,” Wolfe and Fritz said. “We’ll buy anything we think we can make a buck on. Each item we pick has a history all its own. And the people we meet? Well, they’re a breed all their own. We make a living telling the history of America, one piece at a time.”

The basic premise of their program is to locate sizeable, unique collections of antiquities and then learn the interesting stories behind them.

The hosts say they are on a mission to recycle and rescue forgotten relics and collectibles and along the way, they want to meet and film the unusual characters who they can purchase remarkable and exceptional items from.

Through their show, Wolfe and Fritz hope to give historically significant objects a new lease on life and along the way to learn a thing or two about America’s past.

Over the years, the hosts and the rest of their “American Pickers’ team have seen a lot of “rusty gold” and they are always looking to discover something they’ve never seen before, hence their upcoming trip to Biddeford.

“American Pickers are looking for leads and would love to explore your hidden treasure,” Wolfe and Fritz said. “If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that the pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, send us your name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com or call 855-OLD-RUST.”

The picker’s home base is in Le Claire, Iowa, although they also recently opened a second location in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Fritz sells his acquisitions at his own antique shop in Savanna, Illinois, and on his own website, FrankFritzFinds.com.

The duo explore homes, barns, sheds, outbuildings, and other places where antiques and collectibles are typically stored. In the process, they meet with casual collectors, hoarders, and those who may have inherited large collections that they wish to sell.

Wolfe, has been picking antiques since he was 4 and professes a serious interest in antique motorcycles, air-cooled Volkswagens, old bicycles, and penny-farthing change from England.

Fritz claims to have a deep attraction to antique toys, oil cans, and old Hondas.

They avoid antique shops and thrift stores, preferring to deal directly with owners of collections and to listen to their stories about the items they are selling.

The show is hoping to arrive in Maine soon and new episodes of the series to be filmed here are expected to air on the History Channel later this year. 

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 ext. 326 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com.