Shoppers Grabbing Cold-weather Gear in Pawnshops
from The Myrtle Beach Sun News
The recent cold spell caused a welcome retail rush on cold-weather survival gear - from space heaters to antifreeze. Chilly weather paraphernalia that had been gathering dust in home supply stores and pawnshops was selling out for the first time this winter. At Dick's Pawn Shop in North Myrtle Beach, formerly unneeded space heaters recently sold out. More

Three Pawn Shop Stocks - Where Business Is Booming
from Seeking Alpha
If you are looking for recession and depression resistant stocks, one option is High Cash, No Debt, High Yield Stocks. However, another option is to buy the stocks of publicly traded pawnshop chains. More

Almost All U.S. Cities to Lose Jobs in 2009: Forecast
from Reuters
All but five U.S. cities will experience job losses this year, with New York suffering the largest decline, according to a forecast released by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Global Insight, an international economic forecasting firm, projected that by the end of 2009 one-third of all metropolitan areas in the country would have experienced no overall job growth for the first decade of the century. More

Downturn Aids Pawnshops
from The News & Observer
As the economy has slipped into recession, some pawnshops in Johnson County, N.C., have seen more customers looking to secure a quick loan to make ends meet. Jim Lassiter, owner of Zodiac Pawn in Smithfield, said he depends on a base of regulars but estimates he has seen a five-percent increase in prospective customers. More

Pawnshops Doing Big Business in these Tough Economic Times
from WIFR-TV
The difficult economy has many seeking new alternatives to make ends meet. On the “Economy Rockford” report, the spotlight is on pawnshops and payday loan outlets in Rockford, Ill., that are prospering. For many customers, these businesses are providing an important service. More

Feeling the Pinch
from Lake City Reporter
With the economy in shambles, many Lake City, Fla., residents struggling to make ends meet have turned to pawn or selling goods at local pawnshops as a quick way to make a few extra dollars. But even some pawnshops are beginning to feel the pinch as customers who typically pawn and sell have slowed on the buying side of things. More

Virtual Pawnshops a New Beat for Police
from The Telegraph-Journal
Saint John Police Force in Canada know that stolen items can end up in pawnshops, but selling them online in virtual pawnshops is the latest way thieves profit from what they steal. More

Many Choose to Sell their Jewelry for a Good Price in Bad Economy
from The Sacramento Bee
It could be California's second Gold Rush. The skyrocketing price of gold has people mining their jewelry boxes for every bit of the precious metal to sell for cash. People are cashing in at pawnshops and jewelry stores. More

Gold May Rebound on Speculation Dollar to Slide
from Bloomberg
Gold may rebound this week on speculation that the dollar will slide, boosting the appeal of the precious metal as an alternative investment. Gold climbed 5.5 percent in 2008, the smallest gain since 2004, as the dollar advanced against a weighted basket of six major currencies for the first time in three years. Low interest rates and government bailouts may drive the greenback lower, analysts said. More