Pawn shops are increasing in popularity, as evidenced by the growing number of viewers of television shows dedicated to the ins and outs of pawn shops.
A rundown of pawn shop-focused TV shows:
Pawn Stars
Pawn Stars features a family-owned pawn shop in Las Vegas. The shop, called the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, is owned and operated by the Harrison family.
The show debuted on the History Channel in 2009. The show covers the appraisal of lots of unique items, including antique paper currency, pistols, classic guitars, and pieces of art.
Customers bring in rare and interesting items, and emotions sometimes flare as bids do not go as expected.
Hardcore Pawn
This show follows Les Gold and his two children, Seth and Ashley, as they run Detroit’s largest pawnshop, American Jewelry & Loan. The shop holds more than 40,000 items.
The show delves into the difference personalities of the store owner and his kids, including disagreements among themselves, conflicts among management and customers, and fights among customers. Customers bring in items ranging from alligators to prosthetic limbs, and even a stripper pole with a shag-carpet platform.
The show started airing on truTV in 2009.
Cajun Pawn Stars
This is a southern spin on History’s popular series Pawn Stars. It follows Silver Dollar Pawn & Jewelry Center in Alexandria, Louisiana.
Jimmie “Big Daddy” DeRamus opened Silver Dollar over 25 years ago. His brother, daughter and a host of other colorful characters run the shop.
The 20,000 square foot shop has been called the “museum for sale” because it contains so many rare and interesting items. Kids take school field trips to the store and tour buses have routinely made it a stop. The shop carries merchandise ranging from vintage cars to firearms to livestock.
Pawn Queens
This show features a Chicago-area pawn shop that is operated by and caters to women. Businesswomen Minda and Nikki run the boutique, which houses items such as jewelry, vintage Barbie dolls, and antiques. The store opened in 2009.
Minda and Nikki have two business partners, Greg and Tom, who help them appraise and sell items.
Pawn Queens started airing on TLC in 2010. The show had more than a million viewers each week.
Today, there are more than 13,000 pawn shops in the United States, and that number is growing. What shows are coming next?
Come find out for yourself why pawn shops are becoming so popular.