Posted on 03/16/2011 6:13:44 AM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia
We also enjoy the show. My wife drove thru the area they are in, and just had to stop, get some pics taken, and then continue on her trip.
That's "Hardcore Pawn".
That's a more "urban" pawn shop. I feel like I need to take a shower after watching that show...
I like American Pickers and Storage Wars too.
I always found the concept behind Storage Wars interesting - that entire storage lockers are auctioned off for non-payment of rent. That really does happen - my father-in-law bought one and got some really good stuff out of it.
What I don't get is why the owners of the storage facilities just auction them off - is that a law or something? Why don't they pick through them for valuables first?
And I know reality shows aren't always that "real", but on Storage Wars, it seems like the same 3 or 4 guys always win the auctions, even though there are a lot more people there.
I have the same sort of thing in my bedroom—an antique (c. 1860s) swivel mirrored mahogany dresser with a marble inset top, and a full marble-top matching chest. Both have beautifully carved wooden handles.
For what I paid for both pieces I couldn’t get a single plywood dresser at the local Value City Furniture store.
Maybe the Luftwaffe ‘lost’ one while training at Fallon? I think they train in Texas, but “Pawn Stars” is in Vegas, right?
Next time I’m losing at the craps table in Las Vegas I’ll have to remember that the boys at “Pawn Stars” purchase heavy weapons! LOL!
Local scheduling pits Pawn Stars against PBS Antiques Roadshow in our area. I take great delight every week in voting for the Pawn Stars with my remote.
The wife and I joke that the typical story is someone coming in to sell an heirloom that’s been in the family for hundreds of years and has saved grandpa’s life in both world wars.
After all the appraisals, offers and counter offers, the seller ends up taking 20 dollars for it and is off to the nearest casino.
Oh good grief. It’s a business. Nobody forces people to come in & turn in their stuff. Only the government can do that.
Gee, maybe there should be more government regulation of pawn shops so nobody feels badly about his transaction.
Oh wait. That industry already is regulated to heck & back.
My husband and I watched it once and were in hysterics over a woman who tried to pawn her grandmother's teeth. They asked her where her grandmother was and she told them, "she at home". Pray for America.
I’d say the shop is about 20 feet wide and maybe 50 feet long? 1000 sq. ft? Crowded with gawkers so it might be bigger than it looks. Also, the showroom only takes up maybe a third of the whole building. You can’t see the rest. This is Vegas, the land of illusion — maybe the rest of the building is the “studio.”
“A pawn shop is not an auction house. If folks want to get more money, they can always take their items elsewhere and get more for it...”
You are right! I couldn’t believe that people didn’t use eBay or auctions, etc. It seems like they just want their money fast, in cash (!) and maybe a little bit a “15 minutes of fame” tossed in.
I thought that the pawnbrokers were gouging their customers a little until I realized what they are doing was a consignment situation, pure and simple. The customer is free to say “No”!
I have seen that show also. I would think that these storage facilities that get auctioned off the owners are dead or some people just take off because they cannot pay the cost anymore. If I ever did anything like that I would probably get a storage facility full of worthless junk.
It was a Faberge Spider Broach, worth about 25 g’s.
1. I think the law requires the bulk sale in order to prevent landlord “self help”
2. you are right about the owners of the property.
3. Imagine how many out takes there are of worthless junk purchases of storage facilities. It is TV with cameras everywhere and wanabe’s hamming it up.
I generally enjoy the show — except for all the obviously contrived story lines about the guys in the shop. I also was very turned off when they had an episode that spent an inordinate amount of time discussing a modern hunting bow. Very ham-handed product placement. the guy who brought in the bow was wearing the manufacturer’s t-shirt — as was the “archery expert.” everyone talked about how this manufacturer’s bows are the best in the industry. the episode even ended with them shooting the bow and talking about how awesome it is. I hope they received a lot of advertising money, because it made me less interested in watching the show.
Sounds beautiful....and yes, I’m a tad bit jealous, I WANT, lol. I cannot tell you how many dressers I have gone through.
I do over stuff my dresser drawers and have had to buy a new dresser just about every other year.
This big beautiful mahogany baby I have now, with it’s dovetail drawers have withstood my over stuffing for over 2 years now.....without so much as a creek!
“Hardcore Pawn”
The owner also makes my skin crawl. So does his spoiled kids.
What you have described is the experience of a typical tourist trap without the gimcracks and snacks. Almost always the “thrill” is a lot less than advertised or expected. The wife and I thought about visiting the shop on a recent trip to Vegas. Thanks to your info, we’ll probably skip it on our next trip there.
Chumlee is there for the comedy aspect, and it obviously works. Nobody can be that stupid and work at a pawn shop. At least one like Harrison’s. If he was that stupid, he would have never been hired. But it makes for good tv.
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