Mike Wolfe’s “passion project” isn’t one official, named initiative. It’s a phrase that’s grown up around everything the American Pickers star has actually been doing over the past year: restoring old buildings, opening small businesses in towns he’s attached to, and keeping pieces of American history standing rather than letting them get torn down. Here’s what’s actually verified, drawn from his own public updates and real news coverage, not the vague “philosophy” and “legacy” filler that fills most search results for this exact phrase.
Why Search Results For This Phrase Look So Thin
If you’ve searched “Mike Wolfe passion project” before landing here, you’ve probably noticed that a lot of the results read like they could be about anyone: generic talk of “philosophy,” “legacy,” and a bulleted “key elements” list, with no actual dates, places, or named projects. That’s because a cluster of near-identical articles using that exact phrase has spread across unrelated websites, all repeating the same template without citing a single real event. None of them mention the specific restorations, businesses, or news below, because none of them appear to be based on actual reporting.
Two Lanes: His Real Ongoing Project
The closest thing to an actual “passion project” is Two Lanes, the name Wolfe uses for his broader preservation and storytelling brand outside of American Pickers itself. It runs as a blog on Antique Archaeology’s own site, covering abandoned architecture and small-town American history, and it extends into physical spaces he’s restored, including a guesthouse and a renovated property in Nashville. The restorations below all fall under this same umbrella, even though none of them are individually branded a “passion project.”
Timeline: What He’s Actually Done
| Date | What Happened |
|---|---|
| April 27, 2025 | Closed the Antique Archaeology store in Nashville after nearly 15 years to spend more time with family in LeClaire, Iowa |
| May 16, 2025 | Opened Two Lanes Guesthouse, a short-term rental in LeClaire across the street from the original Antique Archaeology store |
| May 28, 2025 | Announced the restoration of an old Esso gas station in downtown Columbia, Tennessee, into a community gathering space |
| June 2025 | A tenant venue called Revival, serving food and cocktails, was expected to open inside that restored Columbia property |
| September 12, 2025 | Wolfe and girlfriend Leticia Cline were seriously injured in a car crash in Columbia, Tennessee |
| December 3, 2025 | Co-star Danielle Colby said on Instagram that American Pickers was “done” |
| February 2026 | Wolfe pushed back on that claim, confirming new Season 27 episodes and a new companion series were still coming |
He Closed His Nashville Store to Spend More Time in Iowa
In April 2025, Wolfe closed the Antique Archaeology store in Nashville, which had operated for nearly 15 years. He said the move was about slowing down and spending more time with his family back in his hometown of LeClaire, Iowa, where the original Antique Archaeology location remains open.
Two Lanes Guesthouse Opened in LeClaire
The following month, Wolfe announced Two Lanes Guesthouse, an Airbnb-style short-term rental in LeClaire, right across the street from Antique Archaeology. He shared on Instagram that his first guest was a musician who performed at the property after checking in.
Turning an Old Gas Station Into Revival, in Columbia, Tennessee
In late May 2025, Wolfe shared that he’d bought an old Esso service station in downtown Columbia, Tennessee, and restored it into an outdoor community gathering space with a fire pit, seating, and lighting, crediting the build-out to the design firm Living Exo. A tenant was reported to be building out a food-and-cocktails venue inside called Revival, expected to open in June 2025.
Historic Preservation Around Franklin, Tennessee
Wolfe’s restoration work also extends to the Franklin, Tennessee area, done in partnership with local preservationist Bill Powell. One project restored 345 Main Street, the 1890 Moore Block building, to its original appearance; the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County later gave it the area’s top preservation award. The two also rebuilt a 1920 home in nearby Leiper’s Fork, reusing pieces of the original structure, including its front door and bead board trim.
He’s Still Filming, Too
None of this has replaced his day job. In December 2025, co-star Danielle Colby said on Instagram that she’d “just found out American Pickers is done.” Wolfe pushed back on that in February 2026, confirming new Season 27 episodes were still airing alongside a new companion series, History’s Greatest Picks With Mike Wolfe. The restoration work is something he’s doing in addition to the show, not instead of it.
A Serious Car Accident in September 2025
On September 12, 2025, Wolfe and girlfriend Leticia Cline were seriously injured in a crash in Columbia, Tennessee, when an SUV pulled out from a side street into the vintage Porsche 356 they were riding in. Wolfe was treated and discharged; Cline suffered a jaw broken in three places, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and swelling on her spine, and underwent what her surgical team called one of the most challenging jaw surgeries they’d handled. Wolfe wrote on Instagram afterward, “By the grace of God, we’re both safe and okay.” As of late September 2025, Cline’s recovery was ongoing at home in Kentucky.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is “Mike Wolfe’s Passion Project” an official name? No. No single project, business, or initiative is officially branded “Passion Project.” The phrase is informal shorthand people use for Wolfe’s restoration and small-business work outside of American Pickers, most of which falls under his existing Two Lanes brand.
- What is Two Lanes? It’s Wolfe’s ongoing preservation and storytelling brand, run through a blog on Antique Archaeology’s site and extending into physical spaces he’s restored, including the LeClaire guesthouse.
- Did Mike Wolfe leave American Pickers? No. Despite a co-star’s December 2025 comment that the show was “done,” Wolfe confirmed in February 2026 that new episodes and a companion series were still in production.
- What happened in Mike Wolfe’s car accident? He and girlfriend Leticia Cline were seriously injured in a September 2025 crash in Columbia, Tennessee. Wolfe was discharged quickly; Cline’s recovery from multiple injuries, including a broken jaw, took months.
