Ep 8. Hometown Pickin'

In American Pickers season 8 episode 8, entitled "Hometown Pickin'," the show's two stars, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, head to Wisconsin in search of some unique finds. They start by visiting an old cheese factory that has been turned into an antique mall, where they hope to come across some treasures from the past.

At the antique mall, Mike and Frank meet the owner, who takes them on a tour of the place. They find plenty of interesting items, including a vintage Lake Geneva boat, a neon sign, and a dinosaur head made out of fiberglass. But they're not interested in any of these items, as their focus is on something else entirely - old bicycles.

Mike, who is a collector of antique bicycles, is in luck, as the owner has a few of them for sale. He buys a 1937 Schwinn Autocycle and a 1936 Schwinn Motorbike, both of which are in excellent condition. Frank, on the other hand, is happy to find an old phone booth that he plans to restore and resell.

After leaving the antique mall, Mike and Frank head to a small town called Oshkosh, where they hope to find some more unique finds. They stop at a local café, where they chat with the owner and some of the patrons. They learn that the town used to be home to a toy company called Oshkosh B'Gosh, which produced a wide range of products, including tin toys and children's clothing.

Excited by this bit of information, Mike and Frank start searching for anything related to the company. They stop at a thrift store, where they find a tin toy biplane and some vintage Oshkosh B'Gosh overalls. They also find an old dairy farm nearby, where they meet the owner, who has a barn full of antiques. They search the barn and come across an old Coca-Cola sign, a vintage rock crusher, and a 1951 Banner creep feeder, among other items.

Mike and Frank then head to a nearby town called Plymouth, where they visit a collector of vintage gas pumps and signs. The collector has an impressive collection, which includes a 1930s Koolmotor sign, a 1920s Wayne visible gas pump, and a 1930s Tokheim clockface gas pump. Mike and Frank are in awe of the collection and spend a considerable amount of time browsing through it.

Finally, Mike and Frank head to Sheboygan Falls, where they hope to strike gold at an old warehouse. The warehouse owner has a vast collection of antiques, including vintage beer signs, old gas pumps, and some oddities like a mounted stag head and an antique diving helmet. Among the various items, they find a 1930s Mobiloil Gargoyle sign and an old Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance sign.

Overall, American Pickers season 8 episode 8 is an enjoyable journey through the state of Wisconsin. Mike and Frank show their expertise in picking out the most unique antiques, and viewers are treated to a glimpse of some real gems from the past. Fans of the show will undoubtedly find this episode engaging and entertaining.