At the core of the pawn industry is the simple question, “What’s it worth?” It is also a question that many people would just like to have an answer for…even if they are not considering a pawn loan or selling the item.
Now if you watch “Pawn Stars” on The History Channel, Rick seems to have a “Buddy” he can call at any moment, who happens to be an expert in virtually everything. Tibetan Dog Hair Tapestry? Rick knows someone who wrote the proverbial book on the subject. Lug nuts for 1950”s Bulgarian automobiles? Oh yeah, he’s got an expert for that topic as well.
Now if you’ve been following this blog for the last couple of years, you’re aware that Gpawn is on record for calling “Staged!” on all the television pawn shop shows with the exception of “Cajun Pawn Stars”, which is surprisingly accurate as to what day to day life is like in a REAL pawn shop.
With these thoughts in mind, Glendale Pawn and Jewelry is proud to sponsor Mr. Craig Lynch from Ouellet & Lynch. Craig has been one of the most trusted independent jewelry appraisal firm in the Phoenix area for 30 years and has worked closely with Glendale Pawn and Jewelry for years.
Beginning on May 20 from 10AM – 1PM and continuing on specially designated days through December Craig will be in our showroom providing FREE verbal appraisals for your jewelry and/or collectibles. Written appraisals will also be available for a reduced fee.
To learn more about Ouellet & Lynch, please take a moment and visit www.ouellet-lynch.com or give us a call here at Glendale Pawn and Jewelry 623.939.2107
"We're glad you're here!" 
Gpawn
The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit 15,000+ the other day,
a stock market record never seen before.
A more accurate headline might have read,
“Dow hits 15,000…Nation collectively yawns…?”
Now Gpawn wasn’t invited to any “Wall Street 15,000+ celebration parties” and I don’t know of anyone who was. I did however notice that the dog is gnawing on her hind leg which indicates that there is going to be a very expensive visit to the Vet pretty soon. The car seems to be making the same noise that it made the last time it wound up at the mechanics and the wonderful folks whom provide my home television entertainment, phone service and Internet connection have arbitrarily decided that they can drill me for an extra $20 per month…did they just throw a dart at the dart board and hit my name for some reason? The costs of electrons suddenly go up? Perhaps it’s because it’s Phoenix and it’s going to be really hot soon…that seems to be the universal excuse for raising prices around these parts.
So these are my excuses for not knowing or caring what tremendous success seems to be flowing down Wall Street these days. But probably the following is the actual reason that you and I didn’t really notice:
– The six biggest banks hold assets equal to 63 percent of the country’s GDP (*Gross Domestic Product): In 1995, the six biggest banks in the country held assets equal to about 17 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Now their assets equal 63 percent of GDP.
Guess there were no parties on our block because nobody I know works for one of the six largest banks (In a capacity higher than Bank Teller at least.)?
But what about people like us?
While all this was going on, we were busy helping people who have non-intelligent mutt dogs with their Vet bills by arranging fast, hassle-free cash loans. We’re also busy purchasing unneeded gold, jewelry, firearms and designer purses so that they can get their cars fixed and as long as some of us are going to be paying $20 more per month for home communications/entertainment we might as well make a stop at Glendale Pawn and Jewelry and get a big flat screen television for an unbelievably low price.
But seriously…things are getting better. It’s getting better a lot quicker for those at the top, but it’s also getting better for the rest of us too…just not as rapidly.
Speaking on behalf of the battered and bruised Middle-Class…We’re still here. More of us are going back to work. Most of us enjoy good health and almost all of us have the blessing of a family and people who love and care about us. The economic crash was a devastating event for sure. I don’t know of anyone who was unscathed. But we’re all still here and we’re getting stronger every day.
The six biggest banks may own most of the GDP in this country, but it was the pawn shops who gained even more. People found out that we genuinely care about our customers and our communities.
We extended a helping hand when the banks wouldn’t. We gave generously to local charities and all of these acts did not go unnoticed. In the process we became Mainstream. We, as an industry, also shed the stigma that for the vast majority of pawn shops…was completely undeserved.
In closing, if we can help you with anything, please let us know. It’s what we do here at Glendale Pawn and Jewelry and we’ve been doing it for +25 years now. Stop by and say hello, get a piece of candy just for coming through the door. We’ll share our stories of non-intelligent mutt dogs, cars that make funny noises and our theories on why some bills just keep going up (This may include our suspicions of “Corporate Beer Funds” and other nefarious activities)
Oh! Don’t forget! We’re all in this together and…”We’re glad you’re here!”
Gpawn
*The monetary value of all of a nation's goods and services produced within a nation's borders and within a particular period of time, such as a year. It became the official measure of the U.S. economy in 1991. It replaced “gross national product,” which covered all goods and services produced by U.S. residents regardless of where they were working.
To say that we see a LOT of interesting and unusual items in the daily course of our work would be a serious understatement. Some time ago a nice lady bought us a framed print with the signature of our 23rd President, Benjamin Harrison. Our “Documents Guy” (Gpawn) here at Glendale Pawn and Jewelry confirmed that it does appear to be a real document from the Harrison administration…so we acquired it.
Now presidential signatures are always interesting and believe it or not President Benjamin Harrison was also a pretty interesting guy.
If you check with Wikipedia, here’s a small sample of the information that is available on our 23rd President:
Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833 – March 13, 1901) was the 23rd President of the United States (1889–1893). Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there. During the American Civil War, he served the Union as a brigadier general in the XX Corps of the Army of the Cumberland. After the war, he unsuccessfully ran for the governorship of Indiana and was later elected to the U.S. Senate by the Indiana legislature.
Harrison, a Republican, was elected to the presidency in 1888, defeating the Democratic incumbent Grover Cleveland. His administration is remembered most for economic legislation, including the McKinley Tariff and the Sherman Antitrust Act, and for annual federal spending that reached one billion dollars for the first time. Democrats attacked the "Billion Dollar Congress." They used the issue, along with the growing unpopularity of the high tariff, to defeat the Republicans, in both the 1890 mid-term elections and in Harrison's bid for re-election in 1892. Harrison advocated, although unsuccessfully, for federal education funding and legislation to protect voting rights for African Americans. He also saw the admittance of six states into the Union.
Defeated by Cleveland in his bid for re-election in 1892, Harrison returned to private life in Indianapolis.
He died the following year from complications from influenza. He is to date the only U.S. president from Indiana and the only one to be the grandson of another president.
From Wikipedia-
Now, one of the most interesting facts about Harrison’s administration is the sheer number of States admitted to the Union during his term.
When Harrison took office, no new states had been admitted in more than a decade, owing to Congressional Democrats' reluctance to admit states that they believed would send Republican members. Early in Harrison's term, however, the lame duck Congress passed bills that admitted four states to the union: North Dakota and South Dakota on November 2, 1889, Montana on November 8, and Washington on November 11. The following year two more states held constitutional conventions and were admitted: Idaho on July 3 and Wyoming on July 10, 1890. The initial Congressional delegations from all six states were solidly Republican. More states were admitted under Harrison's presidency than any other since George Washington's.
Okay, so what does that have to do with our document?
Well, according to the document, it appears to transfer the power of “Receiver of Public Monies” (Treasurer) to a Mr. Edmond W. Eakin of Blunt, South Dakota.
Now we can’t say for sure, but it appears that this might be the original document naming the first “Treasurer” for the Great State of South Dakota.
Offered at $150.00, this could be your once in a lifetime opportunity to finish authenticity verification (It’s a pretty good mystery because Eakin was removed from office by president Grover Cleveland…was there a scandal involved?) or if nothing else, have an amazing antique document to display in your home or office.
Trust me; it’s a GENUINE conversation starter.
Why do we share this cool stuff with you? Because…”We’re glad you’re here!”
Gpawn
Glendale Pawn and Jewelry as well as the finest Elvis Tribute Performer that our budget would allow, is proud to present our 2013 Mother's Day Sale and Gift Certificate Drawing!
Please watch our video (It's a "Show stopping Vegas-Style Performance") to see all of the tremendous savings for Mother's Day 2013 and click the contest graphic above to register for one of three chances to win!
This year, DON'T MESS UP MOTHER'S DAY!...just scoot on over to Glendale Pawn and Jewelry and let us take care of it for you...you might even win a nice gift certificate too!
Mother's Day or any day...you know..."We're glad you're here!"
Gpawn
Yes, it’s THAT time of year again…(drum roll please)…TAX TIME! Now for those of you loyal readers who got some money refunded to you from Dear Uncle Sam…CONGRATULATIONS! If you’re looking to make that refund stretch as far as possible, come see us! We have GREAT everyday deals and SUPER SPECIALS on fine jewelry, home electronics, tools, collectibles, designer purses…and almost anything you can think of!
However…if you are like Gpawn and thousands of others…this is NOT a fun time because we’re all gonna write a check to Dear Uncle Sam and we will of course wait until the last available moment before sending in our hard earned cash.
Now the topic of taxes, thinking about taxes or reading about taxes in the news is not usually a pleasant subject. It seems that every year we are reminded that rich folks don’t pay much in taxes whilst the poor working stiffs such as Gpawn, you and the crew here at Glendale Pawn and Jewelry seem to be paying for the bulk of government operations. This is not a “News Flash” it’s always been like this. It doesn’t matter who’s in charge or which political-party won the “Electoral Lottery”…we wind up picking up the tab.
(It’s kind of like raising teenagers except they never grow up…)
However, every once in awhile (Okay, it is admittedly VERY rare) my government surprises me by doing something that I feel is truly wonderful with my tax dollars.
For this year’s “Tax Time Happy Thought” I present the Curiosity Mars Rover. From a NASA press release:
Curiosity Rover: In August, NASA cashed in on one of its biggest gambles of the past decade when it successfully landed the $2.5 billion Mars Curiosity Rover on the red planet. In what had been dubbed the "seven minutes of terror," the rover detached from its space capsule and was lowered onto the surface via a hovering "sky crane." Since landing, the rover has taken high-definition photos of Mars' surface and has begun analyzing soil samples—it has even found evidence of an ancient stream that "once ran vigorously" on the planet's surface.
Pretty cool huh? We now know that there was once water on Mars, which could indicate that there was at one time some kind of life. Now while this is pretty earth shattering scientific news, I feel that the real value of this $2.5 billion dollar expenditure was the absolute proof that there are no MARTIANS on Mars. This discovery FINALLY puts to rest what is arguably the lamest genre’ in Science Fiction…the dreaded, yet laughably inept... “Martians”.
Okay, that’s the “Happy thought” that I am going to use this year to keep me smiling when I pay my taxes. What “Happy Thoughts” do you use when you’re whistling a cheery tune whilst writing a check out to our government?
If you need to put some cash in the bank before you write that happy little check, come and see us here at Glendale Pawn and Jewelry. We make fast, hassle-free pawn loans on firearms, jewelry, electronics, and collectibles and just about anything of value. We’re also cash buyers for old gold and gemstone jewelry, firearms, designer purses, iPods, iPads and anything else you have too much of or just don’t need any more.
So keep a smile on your face! Pay those taxes! Here at Glendale Pawn and Jewelry we’ll be here for you to make the process a little less painful and maybe even patriotic!
Just remember when you’re making out that check…”We’re glad you’re here!”
Gpawn
It’s April and it won’t be long until the colleges release their recent graduates into society with fond wishes and a hearty “Thank-You” for all of the thousands of dollars that have in most cases been borrowed to pay for their collective educations. (Gpawn has heard quite a bit of talk about student loans lately, so he thought he’d do a blog post on this not-so-unique financial situation)
The good news is that it looks like the economy is FINALLY showing some substantial signs of improvement…if we can believe what the media outlets tell us. We tend to agree that things are better, but we can’t help but notice that this was not a “Typical” recession that we’re emerging from. This one fundamentally shook this country (and most of the industrialized world) to the core. It’s still going to take awhile for us to recover from this mess.
During the financial meltdown, the response of a major share of the unemployed population was to go back to school and learn new job skills. The response of those who happened to be in school already was to stay in school longer than expected to obtain more advanced degrees.
Taken as a whole, it is apparent that the lifestyles of American Middle-Class college graduates have been changed for the foreseeable future and they will have some very specific challenges that we will have to learn to live with:
1) Student debt is presently at +$1,000,000,000,000 (Trillion) and growing. This represents a larger “bubble” than the so-called “Housing Boom” which collapsed in such dramatic fashion.
2) We won’t get into the specifics of student debt, but let’s just say that there are substantial differences between the mortgage debt that formed the basis of the Great Recession and the “debt specific” intricacies of student loans which could add a whole new dimension of pain if a student loan collapse were to occur.
3) Jobs for recent college graduates that would allow a reasonable amount of time to pay off student loans are few and far between.
4) Ramen noodles, peanut butter and three-day-old pizza might continue to make up the bulk of the dietary requirements for our former students.
Of course we don’t have any hard data to back any of this up; it’s just the opinion of some of the people that have watched this whole dramatic economic crash and burn episode from the windows of our Pawn Shop.
So, what is our Advice to those who have or will be recently graduated? Well, please recognize the fact that due to the great recession, Pawn Shops have become a mainstream feature of American Middle Class life. So…stay close to Glendale Pawn and Jewelry. You’re going to have your share of “OH NO!” moments when the car breaks down; a “Surprise” utility bill arrives or you have to make an emergency run to the dentist for those nasty wisdom teeth that you’ve been neglecting.
We make hassle-free, short-term cash loans on almost anything of value. Jewelry, designer purses, firearms, iPods, iPads and just about anything you have can be used as collateral for a pawn loan. Pay back the loan when the crisis is over, pick up your stuff and resume your life just like the average of 87% of our pawn loan customers.
Have too much stuff? Just bring it down to Glendale Pawn and Jewelry, we’ll buy it outright and you can walk out with cash in your hand!
Need a smokin’ deal on a flat-screen HD television? How about a sound system big enough to get the attention of the neighbors…from three blocks away? Maybe a new video game console would be nice? Or perhaps some DVD/Blu-Ray Entertainment? We have it all…and more for 30-60% less than retail.
With Glendale Pawn and Jewelry on your side it IS possible to live VERY well AND pay-back your student loans at the same time. How do we know this? Well, a good share of us who work here are paying back student loans and managing to live pretty well. Come in and see us. We’ll compare notes and see who owes more? We’ll also put together a “survival plan” for you and give you a free piece of candy.
While you’re here and if you need a job, check and see if we’re hiring. Or just click here for our employment page which is regularly updated. It’s a fun place to work and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll make some money too!
So, maybe you’re one step closer now to understanding why we say, “We’re all in this together and…We’re glad you’re here!” 
Gpawn
While Easter and Passover are just two religious aspects of this holiday season, (Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter will be happy to enlighten you on every possible religious aspect of this time of year…) a large percentage of American families will be conducting the dreaded, yet strangely anticipated, “Family Easter Gathering”. Ah yes, this is the time of year when Aunts & Uncles, Moms & Dads and kids & cousins get together to over-indulge, argue, fall asleep on the couch, trash the house and for the host and hostess…to once again swear solemnly to each other to never do this again.
If you’re having an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids…make sure you use the hollow plastic eggs and fill them with candy. Yes, hard-boiled eggs are traditional and the mess they make during the coloring process builds memories that will last a lifetime. Of course the two to three eggs that are never found will also build memories after a few weeks of fermenting under the sofa or somewhere in the family room. Hard boiled eggs also have the capability of firing up your “Environmentally Correct” Aunt who will want to know if the eggs came from Free-Range Chickens that were sourced from locally owned, family farms.
Trust us…plastic eggs stuffed with candy…it’s the ONLY way to do this.
Glendale Pawn and Jewelry Tip #1
Take advantage of our massive flat screen television sale, pick up a heavily discounted DVD player and take advantage of our 10 for $10 DVD promotion. Assemble all the components in the garage, lock the doors and enjoy some great entertainment whilst the annual Easter egg carnage takes place.
Avoid the plastic Easter grass. This stuff is one of the many curses of the modern American Easter Gathering. The kids will make sure that it flies everywhere in the house, the dog and cats will eat the stuff and in many cases this can necessitate a trip to the Veterinarian. It is also possible that some of the charming youngsters will build a massive cushion with the stuff to prove that it is actually safe to jump from the top of the stairs and swan dive into a sea of shredded green plastic.
Glendale Pawn and Jewelry Tip #2
Head on down to Glendale Pawn and Jewelry with your old gold jewelry, firearms, iPods, iPads and designer purses. Get a fast, hassle free pawn loan or sell these items outright to us for way more cash than you thought possible. Having a stockpile of cash on hand will minimize the stress of rushing the dog to the vet and the kids to the ER.
Eventually you will have to feed this crowd. It may be “Tofu Turkey” or it could be a Smoked Virginia Ham…the only thing that we can be sure of is that large portions will wind up on the tile floor, carpeting, walls and furniture. How does this happen? It’s one of life’s great mysteries because nobody has ever seen it happen. “How did the potato salad wind up on the kitchen ceiling?”…nobody saw anything.
Glendale Pawn and Jewelry Tip #3
There’s going to be one awesome mess and also some property damage when this little holiday soiree’ finally concludes. You’ll need tools…fortunately we have them in stock and heavily discounted. Carpet cleaners, vacuum cleaners, painting equipment, saws…you name it, we got it…all for far less than you imagined.
Finally, in spite of the mess, feuds, carnage and generally poor behavior…make sure you take some time to give thanks. After-all, these people are your family and you can’t choose your family, all you can do is love them and be thankful that this crowd of socially deprived ruffians belong to you and they would do anything for you…no matter how ill-advised. Finally…take a big deep breath when it’s over, curl up on the couch with your significant other and say the annual “Family Easter Gathering Vow” that consists of, “I swear I am NEVER doing that AGAIN!” (Knowing full well that you will...)
Happy Easter from all of us here at Glendale Pawn and Jewelry…”We’re glad you’re here!”
Gpawn
In case you’re not on the leading edge of technology, like Gpawn and this World Famous Pawn Shop Blog, you might not be aware that Google has been working on something that they are going to present to the world as “Augmented Reality Glasses” or just plain old “Google Glass” for short. These glasses will run on Android mobile software and will make you feel like something from a science fiction movie…only its reality and it’s coming soon.
Google has recently released a few test or prototype units and even a You Tube video to give you an idea of what’s in store.
Check it out:
Now clearly the glasses are sleek and not quite like the ones on Star Trek or other “Future” views. In fact, the glasses can become quite unnoticeable after awhile, which raises several new societal issues. Night clubs? Surely everyone is proud of their behavior and wouldn’t mind a real time video of their inebriated dancing being broadcast on the Internet without their knowledge? Public restrooms? Now there is an obvious issue. Take your “Glasses” off before entering? The list is endless...
How many nerds will be seriously injured by walking into walls or stepping out in front of traffic whilst being “In the glass”? Mothers will forget their kids on the roof of the car…oops, they do that now…okay, how about arguments? Whoever can “Google the glass” faster wins…if you don’t find any of this downright hysterical, well there must be something wrong with ya.
The list goes on and on…
At Glendale Pawn and Jewelry we feel strongly that these glasses should not be as sleek and almost unnoticeable as they presently are and we’re proposing the following design just to keep everything on the “Up & up”.
First of all, everyone knows that as soon as these Google Glasses become available we will be swarmed by nerds, geeks, and other unsavory elements of society….followed by Mom, Dad, Brothers & Sisters and everyone that you know or meet. A bit of warning that everything you say and do is being recorded is certainly in order and we feel that a more “stand-out” design like the one above will serve nicely to warn everyone to be on their best behavior.
Of course all this mania will soon become blase’ and people will tire of the novelty and sure enough Google, Microsoft, Samsung and all the others who determine what we do and how we live will be forced to come up with something even more incredible.
How about computer implants for the brain? Maybe the person that sits there with the spaced out look on their face is surfing the web behind their eyes?
I have seen the future and it’s either incredibly disturbing or hysterically funny…depending on your viewpoint.In the meantime....Need fast, hassle-free cash loan for one of life’s “OH NO!” moments? (We too have children that are regular visitors to the Dr’s office and we also have dogs that will eat just about anything….that is incredibly bad for them.) Have too many designer purses, iPads, iPods, firearms or old gold jewelry? Well, we can certainly turn those items into cash faster than you thought possible. Need to save a bunch of money (30%-60%) on top quality merchandise such as fine jewelry, home electronics, and computers and just about anything else you can imagine? All you have to do is stop by and see us or shop online anytime at our E-Bay, Amazon and Gunbroker auctions.
We’re Glendale Pawn and Jewelry. We’ve been helping people out with these types of challenges for well over 25 years now and if there’s a way to help YOU…we’ll find it.
Oh and one final thing..."We're glad you're here!" 
Gpawn
Tis’ THAT time once again Lads & Lassies!
Yes St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching and quite honestly it’s one of our favorite holidays. Did you ever wonder what the OFFICIAL St. Patrick’s Day holiday was really about?
Saint Patrick's Day or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, "The Day of the Festival of Patrick") is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated on 17 March. It is named after Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland.
Saint Patrick's Day was made an official feast day in the early seventeenth century and is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland), the Eastern Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church. For Christians, the day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. However, it has gradually become more of a secular celebration of Irishness and Irish culture.
From Wikipedia-
Well…that was certainly interesting?
Digging deeper one can certainly learn more about St. Patrick, the traditional celebrations and the deep religious connections to the day. It’s a fascinating story and makes for an excellent read that involves various different interpretations of the holiday.
However, when Americans, (The good citizens of the United States) celebrate St. Patrick’s Day it usually involves getting a bit “buzzed” on generic American green beer and other traditional beverages whilst chowing down on traditional Irish fare such as corned beef & cabbage.
(For the record, Guinness is an “Acquired Taste” in Gpawn’s opinion and should be approached cautiously and with great respect…)
Occasionally the younger revelers (College Students Perhaps?) get a bit loud and express opinions that other members of the crowd may or may not agree with and carefully crafted debates occur that usually reference the birth heritage and moral character of the individual debaters. Unlike other traditional American celebrations, firearms and violence generally don’t play much of a part in the merriment of St. Patrick’s day and gunshot related incidents are remarkably low. This has been attributed by experts and casual observers alike that it is simply too much work to be hostile and belligerent whilst passed out, lying face down on the sparkling clean pub floor and wearing a green plastic bowler hat that has somehow been permanently attached to the head by a fellow reveler.
So where’s the “Pawn Shop Connection” to all of this?
Well, if you need some extra cash for your celebratory activities, you might want to consider a pawn loan from Glendale Pawn and Jewelry. We make fast, hassle-free cash loans on jewelry, firearms, home electronics, collectibles and just about anything you can imagine. Have too much stuff? Turn your unneeded designer purses, old gold and gemstone jewelry, iPods, iPads and other items that you just don’t need any more into cash!
Want to stay out of the pubs, save your money and still celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? (This might be the smartest choice of all…) come see us! We have some DEEP discounts on all kinds of things that you need, televisions, jewelry, tools…you name it. Oh! You could also win a $100 “Luck O’ the Irish” jewelry shopping spree just by coming into the store and registering or by registering online (--CLICK HERE--). The drawing is at NOON on St. Patrick’s Day, you don’t have to be present to win and you’ll definitely enjoy a little extra “Glimmer” in honor of the holiday! St. Patrick's Day Toast
Here’s to a long life and a merry one.
A quick death and an easy one
A pretty girl and an honest one
A cold beer – and another one!
Okay Lads and lassies, let’s have fun, let’s be safe and always remember, “We’re glad you’re here!”
Gpawn
We decided to put up our sign on the grounds of the Smithsonian Institution for this edition of our Pawn Shop Blog.
The Pawn Shop as Museum?
By now everyone is aware that Glendale Pawn and Jewelry is THE place to get some fast, hassle-free cash for all of those OH NO! Moments…like when the lawn mower fires a rock through the patio doors or the dog decides to eat that thing that has been stinkin’ up the garage. (Hey, we’ve been there too…we’ve got kids that think they’re super-heros, animals that have open accounts at the vets and cars that will occasionally spew unknown liquids all over the road for no apparent reason.)
So we’re the place to make the mad dash for the emergency cash…but what’s cool is that we’re also known as the place that’s great fun to browse around in and find heretofore unknown “treasures” for sale. Yes, at least 50% of the fun of visiting Glendale Pawn and Jewelry (Some would probably say 75%) are all the unusual things that inhabit the shelves, nooks and crannies. Now we’re in the business of reselling things and eventually everything goes on to a new “home”, but it does seem that we also serve as a temporary “museum” of sorts.
Check out the great story that Heather Moore and TV5 produced about our Civil War Letters. Just click on the graphic.
Without too much effort, one can see the vast collection of jewelry, the majority of which could certainly qualify as fine art. Also on display is a variety of art work ranging from paintings, prints, sculptures and ceramics. By digging a bit deeper and asking one of our helpful staff members, “Hey! What’s your favorite thing in the store?” could result in seeing an antique firearm, a collection of Civil War letters or some very rare coins and print money.
Now where we differ from a museum is our attitude and feelings for these items. Now museums are great places and they’re absolutely vital to preserving our history and various different cultures. To a museum an object is just that…an object. It’s an artifact that helps preserves a specific culture or era. Nothing more…and nothing less. To a Pawn Shop, an item represents a connection to a person…a living, breathing entity with an emotional connection our store and our staff and a closeness to us that goes beyond being labeled a mere artifact. These items are important to us, because we know they were important to others. Regardless of how we came into possessions of these things…every single person here at Glendale Pawn and Jewelry understands that while these things mean a great deal to us, they will never mean as much to us as they did to the previous owners…and therein lies the fundamental difference between the Pawn Shop and the museum.
The majority of our more “Unusual” items are purchased from people who just don’t want them anymore. Perhaps they are collectors who are running out of room. Perhaps the items were inherited or maybe the interest in them has just run the proverbial course and cash is a much more useful commodity at that particular time. We would imagine that for most of the readers of our Pawn Shop Blog, a similar situation may exist in their homes. Do you have a drawer of old gold jewelry at home? Too many designer purses? Antique firearms? Home electronics? All of these and more can be turned into fast, hassle-free cash at Glendale Pawn and Jewelry.
Looking to acquire a genuine conversation piece? Look no further! We have artwork, antiques, vintage and retro items all presented by people who absolutely care about the items that we offer and the people who come to see us.
So next time you feel like visiting a museum, come see us and the chances are that you’ll go home with a new “Prize” for your collection and a conversation piece that will be talked about for generations…at least until it’s time to put it back into circulation…at the Pawn Shop. Can you do that at the museum? Didn’t think so…
Oh yeah and never forget! "We're glad you're here!"
Gpawn
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