How many Vegas players gone by the Pawn Shop?
- Thread starter Houstoer
- Start date
My Step Son in Law has been there twice and found ZERO DEALS on anything.
I went there late one night , Place looked closed , Says 24 Hr . They had a Little window , with bullet proof glase and a slot to slide things trru . Better be small also . Jim
If you watch closely I think you'll see Jasmin Ouschan in their stock footage of people wandering through the store. I've seen her a couple times.
My wife stopped through there recently, said the TV show makes it look nicer than your normal pawn shop, but in reality it is the same as every other dirty shop out there.
I can't stand the show, I feel too bad for the people who are blatantly being ripped off. But I guess that is how pawn shops work, people need the cash and the shop has to make a profit. Not a business I think I could run.
I can't stand the show, I feel too bad for the people who are blatantly being ripped off. But I guess that is how pawn shops work, people need the cash and the shop has to make a profit. Not a business I think I could run.
lmfao ive been to that pawn shop in detoit. place is huge compared to most pawn shops ive been in wich is 2 lol.
I used to manage a pawn shop for a friend. I do like Pawn Stars but the
way they hose people is pretty much text book for any pawn shop.
I have to wince at some of their cheesy tactics. I feel sorry for the sellers.
When you bring it in, its worth diddly. When we sell it, its at the other end of the spectrum.
way they hose people is pretty much text book for any pawn shop.
I have to wince at some of their cheesy tactics. I feel sorry for the sellers.
When you bring it in, its worth diddly. When we sell it, its at the other end of the spectrum.
One cuemaker who is retired now also owned a pawn shop and he compared it to a license to steal.
I have never found a really good cue deal in a pawn shop. I did buy a Huebler Plain Jane for $80 and sold it for $200 but in the same store they had a WalMart special they wanted $300 for.
My friend bought a D-23 for $25 one time about 20 years ago. And one other friend got a $1200 Schon for $125.
Out in Vegas there are some very very big pawn shops, chains I think. I mean huge.
Not much in the way of pool cues though. And a lot of them have really wised up since they discovered the Internet and Ebay.
I have never found a really good cue deal in a pawn shop. I did buy a Huebler Plain Jane for $80 and sold it for $200 but in the same store they had a WalMart special they wanted $300 for.
My friend bought a D-23 for $25 one time about 20 years ago. And one other friend got a $1200 Schon for $125.
Out in Vegas there are some very very big pawn shops, chains I think. I mean huge.
Not much in the way of pool cues though. And a lot of them have really wised up since they discovered the Internet and Ebay.
Nobody is being ripped off. They make an offer if you don't want it don't take it. Lol there not collectors. If you want top dollar for your rare item then you need to go find someone that wants that item for there collection. If you want quick cash.. Goto a pawn shop. there in business to make a profit. If your to dumb to know that by now then you deserve to be ripped off. When they have a guy come in and tell you the gun is worth 2 grand then go find someone that wants the gun not a middle man like a pawn shop who needs to make a profit.
Btw I think the other show is called hard core pawn and yes...it sucks. But it's probably more realistic to the type of customers that a real pawn shop gets lol
Btw I think the other show is called hard core pawn and yes...it sucks. But it's probably more realistic to the type of customers that a real pawn shop gets lol
You're right that no one is being ripped off in the strictest legal sense. But as my friend who owned a pawn shop put it you can see the desperation on their faces when they come through the door. They are willing to take just about any amount for whatever they are using as collateral.
It's not the easiest business in the world but as I said above one pawn shop owner who is also a cue maker said that to him owning a pawn shop is as close to a license to steal as you can get.
The internet is a useful tool
Here's my opinion, take it for what it's worth.
I like to stop at garage sales, estate sales, auctions and whatever type of sale I come across that I think may be worth at least taking a look.
A) Last year I went to a local swimming pool and spa dealer that had acquired billiard supplies (he placed an ad on Craigslist), and wanted to get rid of them. He was offering deeply discounted prices on house cues, balls, tables, etc. Some of the stuff was junk, but I picked up an unopened set of Aramith balls for $40, a gross of Master chalk for $7, and three cheapo house cues for $2 each.
B) I was cruising the flea market and found an old Dufferin. Straight, good tip, and with that weird joint pin. The old man wanted $2. I bought it, and sold it online for $47.
C) One garage sale, the owner was selling a non-slate pool table, with about 6 cues, for $25. There was an old two piece Adams in the bundle of house cues. As I had no use for the table, I negotiated for the cues. The entire bundle for $5. I paid, and as I began to walk away, the owner said, "Wait, I gotta have a cue to sell with the table". He grabbed the crappiest cue, and I left with the Adams and the remaining house sticks. Sold the Adams online for $83.
The spa dealer ? I'd like to believe there was a computer on the premises.
The guy at the flea market ? He was on his laptop when I strolled up.
The garage sale ? The owner was on his laptop at the time as well.
Maybe back in the days, I may have been more inclined to say to any of them, "Hey, do you know what you have here ?" But with the internet, and being able to get information for just about anything, it's not up to me to tell someone what something is worth. Frankly, it's laziness if the seller doesn't want to do thier research.
Anyone ever see the Pawn Stars where a guy came in with an old ham radio (or something similar to that) ? Rick looked it over, asked what the guy wanted, and the guy told him $80. Rick agreed to the price, and in the mini interview, Rick stated that "This guy did his homework, he knows what it's worth, and he's asking a fair price".
They even tell sellers that they are in business to make money (in case these people don't understand the concept).
Even better are the items they bring the expert in for. The expert looks it over, tells the owner that it could fetch $36-$42k, and when Rick asks how much they want to sell it for, the real smug ones say, "He said $36k, so I'll take that." So Rick explains (again) that they are in business to MAKE money, and offers $12k. The owner says he'll take $35k. Back and forth, and the owner relents to Rick's 'final offer' of $18k.
If the owner of the item was willing to take the time to list it in a more mainstream market online (or possibly with an auction house), he could have made even more money.
It's called "seller's remorse". Sell something for a low price, then kick yourself in the caboose for taking the low offer.
If you don't like the price they offer, the answer is easy. Walk away.
Here's my opinion, take it for what it's worth.
I like to stop at garage sales, estate sales, auctions and whatever type of sale I come across that I think may be worth at least taking a look.
A) Last year I went to a local swimming pool and spa dealer that had acquired billiard supplies (he placed an ad on Craigslist), and wanted to get rid of them. He was offering deeply discounted prices on house cues, balls, tables, etc. Some of the stuff was junk, but I picked up an unopened set of Aramith balls for $40, a gross of Master chalk for $7, and three cheapo house cues for $2 each.
B) I was cruising the flea market and found an old Dufferin. Straight, good tip, and with that weird joint pin. The old man wanted $2. I bought it, and sold it online for $47.
C) One garage sale, the owner was selling a non-slate pool table, with about 6 cues, for $25. There was an old two piece Adams in the bundle of house cues. As I had no use for the table, I negotiated for the cues. The entire bundle for $5. I paid, and as I began to walk away, the owner said, "Wait, I gotta have a cue to sell with the table". He grabbed the crappiest cue, and I left with the Adams and the remaining house sticks. Sold the Adams online for $83.
The spa dealer ? I'd like to believe there was a computer on the premises.
The guy at the flea market ? He was on his laptop when I strolled up.
The garage sale ? The owner was on his laptop at the time as well.
Maybe back in the days, I may have been more inclined to say to any of them, "Hey, do you know what you have here ?" But with the internet, and being able to get information for just about anything, it's not up to me to tell someone what something is worth. Frankly, it's laziness if the seller doesn't want to do thier research.
Anyone ever see the Pawn Stars where a guy came in with an old ham radio (or something similar to that) ? Rick looked it over, asked what the guy wanted, and the guy told him $80. Rick agreed to the price, and in the mini interview, Rick stated that "This guy did his homework, he knows what it's worth, and he's asking a fair price".
They even tell sellers that they are in business to make money (in case these people don't understand the concept).
Even better are the items they bring the expert in for. The expert looks it over, tells the owner that it could fetch $36-$42k, and when Rick asks how much they want to sell it for, the real smug ones say, "He said $36k, so I'll take that." So Rick explains (again) that they are in business to MAKE money, and offers $12k. The owner says he'll take $35k. Back and forth, and the owner relents to Rick's 'final offer' of $18k.
If the owner of the item was willing to take the time to list it in a more mainstream market online (or possibly with an auction house), he could have made even more money.
It's called "seller's remorse". Sell something for a low price, then kick yourself in the caboose for taking the low offer.
If you don't like the price they offer, the answer is easy. Walk away.
There's a new pawn shop show called Pawn Queens. Based out of Napierville IL. I think. A couple ladies own the shop. What's cool about this latest pawn show is at the end of the show they tell what they sold items for.
Saw one episope where they bought an antique refrigerator for $85 and after they had it restored (costing like $3500) they sold it for $8K. Cool thing was they got back in touch with the original owner and floated him an extra $1500.
they bought a toy pedal fire truck had it restored and had $500 in it and took a loss when they sold it for $350.
Hard Core Pawn does reflect the actual business to a T IMO
Saw one episope where they bought an antique refrigerator for $85 and after they had it restored (costing like $3500) they sold it for $8K. Cool thing was they got back in touch with the original owner and floated him an extra $1500.
they bought a toy pedal fire truck had it restored and had $500 in it and took a loss when they sold it for $350.
Hard Core Pawn does reflect the actual business to a T IMO
Thanks for the new show, i added it to my DVR list.
watched a few promo clips of it on TLC website.
-Steve
watched a few promo clips of it on TLC website.
-Steve
There's a new pawn shop show called Pawn Queens. Based out of Napierville IL. I think. A couple ladies own the shop. What's cool about this latest pawn show is at the end of the show they tell what they sold items for.
Saw one episope where they bought an antique refrigerator for $85 and after they had it restored (costing like $3500) they sold it for $8K. Cool thing was they got back in touch with the original owner and floated him an extra $1500.
they bought a toy pedal fire truck had it restored and had $500 in it and took a loss when they sold it for $350.
Hard Core Pawn does reflect the actual business to a T IMO
I believe I read an interview without the guy who had the idea for pawn stars and he said he shopped the show for three years before he found someone interested. Lol everyone said who wants to watch 3 fat guys in a pawn shop lol I must admit when I saw the first commercials for it I thought it was another dumb reality show. Now I'm addicted 
Pawn Broker are not stupid, they survive by buy for nothing, and selling sky high. I am sure those good cues went for top dollar.