“Buzz”… the American Pickers were actually in Walla Walla…
On March 8th, I wrote a post titled “Were the American Pickers in Walla Walla? … no it was just Dave, Barry, and Neva…” That day, Barry, Neva, and I spent the day on an old family farm buying old farm stuff. I had a great time on the farm and an equally great time writing a post, with an American Pickers spin, on our day in the country.
Well, fast forward to June and the American Pickers were actually in Walla Walla. I didn’t see them but I could hear (and almost feel) the buzz at Shady Lawn Antiques… Thursday I got several phone calls from people that wanted to know if I had seen the American Pickers. Then Bob H. reported that his friend had taken a picture of their Antique Archeology van.
Susan, from Seattle, reported that Mike Wolfe was getting a massage while she was getting her finger nails done. She thought that Mike looked familiar but she didn’t immediately know who he was… Susan said that “now you can say that you have talked to someone that actually has seen Mike Wolfe in Walla Walla.”
An article in the Sunday Walla Walla Union-Bulletin confirmed that the American Pickers were in Walla Walla. Mike Wolfe and his brother and the rest of the History Channel crew spent eight hours filming at the Jack and Sherron King farm.
The King family had been in negotiations with the History Channel for several months. Grandson, Ryan King, reported that “the producers didn’t want a flock of American Pickers groupies showing up. They specially told us not to tell anybody to keep people away.”
The family did a good job of keeping the secret. My friend Lori, that helps with displays at Shady Lawn, is Jack King’s niece and even she didn’t know.
The surprise of having the Pickers show up in Walla Walla created quite a Buzz…
While the Discovery Channel production crew was not excited about ‘American Pickers groupies’ showing up on site… ‘American Pickers groupies’ are always welcome at Shady Lawn Antiques!!!
That is a cool story. LeClaire, Iowa, the home base for the American Pickers, is on the way to Iowa City when the Palatine, Illinois Emigh’s visit your nephew at the University of Iowa. We haven’t stopped but may one day soon!