Pawnshops Prospering
from Great Falls Tribune
With jobs, work hours and pay lagging during the recession, more people are turning to pawnshops, both for quick loans on pawned collateral and bargains on good, used merchandise. More

Flu Boosts Pawn Trade in Mexico City
from The Straits Times
Pawnshops in Mexico City have seen a spike in business since the swine flu broke out last month, as residents try to fight hard economic times by hocking their valuables. Most staff and some customers covered their faces with surgical masks, while paper signs taped on stone walls informed clients of longer opening hours introduced since at the end of last month. More

Cash for Gold
from JCK Luxury magazine
In a sharp departure from Super Bowl ads of the past, the one that had people talking the most this year wasn't promoting beer. Instead, celebrities Ed McMahon and MC Hammer encouraged viewers to send their old gold jewelry to Florida-based Cash4gold.com to cash in on high gold prices. "With gold at an all-time high, now's the time to send your unwanted gold for cash," said McMahon. He and Hammer then detailed all the unusual karat gold items—records, golf clubs—that they could surrender for cash. "We melting gold, baby!" Hammer added. More

Authorities Fear Violence in Pawnshop Thefts across Atlanta may Escalate
from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A gang wanted for robbing seven Atlanta metro area pawnshops and attacking six employees could get even more violent if not captured, investigators said. Suspected gang members have already shot two pawnshop employees and tased four others, Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesman John Bankhead said. The gang seeks cash and always goes for the safe, but sometimes takes jewelry, Bankhead said. More

Pawnshops Boom in Jackson County, Miss., during Economic Slowdown
from WLOX-TV
Mark Riley is the owner of the newest pawnshop in Pascagoula, Miss., Dad's Super Pawn. He says the shop has been pretty busy since its opening four months ago. "We are doing anywhere from 10 to 18 pawns a day, which equates to a fair amount of money per day," Riley said. More

Cash America Plans $100M Note Sale for Debt Repayment
from Dow Jones via The Wall Street Journal
Cash America International Inc. disclosed plans to sell $100 million in 20-year convertible senior notes for debt repayment. The notes being offered will carry a 5.25 percent yield, with each $1,000 sold being convertible into 39.2157 shares. If fully converted, the offering would boost shares outstanding by 3.9 million shares; there are currently 30.4 million. More

'Perfect Storm' for Pawnbrokers
from Liverpool Daily Post
If Haywood Milton's great-grandfather were to set foot into Milton's Pawnbrokers and Jewellers today, he might well need to sit down. Gone are the false teeth and shoes that were pawned at the Liverpool, England, shop he opened in 1922, and in their place are Rolex watches worth thousands and glittering diamonds. More

Dispelling the Myths About Pawnshops
from Great Falls Tribune
Great Falls, Mont., pawnbrokers want to clear up the notion they run disreputable businesses. "There's a misconception that pawnshops are dark, dirty and a little shady, with pawnbrokers trying to rip off customers," said Charles Conley, owner of Alias Smith & Jones Pawn Shop. "Our two Great Falls stores are clean, well-lit and organized, because we want customers to feel comfortable. Like any business, we want them to feel great about their transaction so they'll do repeat business." More