Pawnshops Boom
from the Sun Herald
With three decades in the business, the Pawn Shop Queen of Biloxi has learned to roll with the flow. And the flow has been in her favor these days. "I’ve seen people from all social levels and income levels come in to the shop," said Mary Eaves, who owns Edgewater Pawn and Biloxi Pawn. "They’re just having a cash shortage at the moment." More

Pawnshops: More Customers Spending Money
from WALB-TV
Signs of an economic turnaround are showing up at some Georgia pawnshops. For the last year, pawnshop owners say most of their customers have been pawning items to get quick cash. There's still a lot of that happening, but store owners say they're starting to more shoppers looking for bargains on items many would consider luxuries. More

NCAA Coach Reunited with Stolen Championship Ring
from NBC Chicago
It can take a lifetime to win a national college championship, but who knew the tough part would be trying to not lose the ring? Such was the case for former volleyball coach Dave Deuser, whose championship ring was stolen after he led his Lewis University men's volleyball team to the NCAA championship in 2003. More

New Online, High-end Pawnshop Launches in Denver
from KDVR-TV
Right now, many people are finding themselves in need of quick cash. And a one-of-a-kind business just launching in the Denver area, says they can help. It's called Internet Pawn. You can find it at www.internetpawn.com. It is the first-of-its-kind business in the United States which caters to high end clients with high end items to put up as collateral for a loan. More

Amid Job Fears, Debt, Consumer Thrift Slows Recovery
from USA Today
Consumers are still missing in action as the economy shows signs of recovery. No wonder: Their incomes are being squeezed, and they're worried about their paychecks after seeing 6.7 million jobs vanish since the recession began in December 2007. "We've adjusted our finances in a draconian way," says Rick Shultz of Medina, Ohio, who works in auto sales. This year, he passed up an every-two-years golf trip to Scotland and suspended his country club membership. "I even pack my lunches most days." More

Man in Wig Robs Pawnshop in Martin County, Fla.
from WPEC-TV
An armed robbery occurred at Colorado Bullion Pawn in Stuart. Employees told police that the suspect came into the business and started to smash the front glass display, telling the employees that if they rang the alarm that he would shoot them. The employees did just the opposite and rang the alarm anyway. They then sought refuge in a secure area of the store until law enforcement arrived. More

Gold Climbs a Fifth Day as Dollar Drops on Signs of Recovery
from Bloomberg
Gold rose for a fifth day, the longest run of increases in more than a month, as the dollar weakened on signs a recovery in global economies may be accelerating. Bullion climbed as positive economic data weakened demand for the U.S. currency, driving the Dollar Index lower. More

Ezcorp Names New Board Member
from The Associated Press via Google
Ezcorp. Inc., a pawn shop owner and payday lender, said it named Joseph J. Beal to its board of directors. Beal was general manager and CEO of the Lower Colorado River Authority, before he retired in 2008. He replaces Richard M. Edwards, who retired from the board. More

Stolen Semi Runs into Pawnshop
from KSL-TV
A stolen semitrailer broke the window of a pawnshop in West Valley City, Utah. Witnesses told police they saw the driver take off after the crash. Police think the incident may be a smash-and-grab burglary. The truck belongs to Harper Construction and was stolen from North Salt Lake. Sgt. Steve Burke with the West Valley Police Department said, "It seems like these types of incidents are happening more and more. But I've never seen a semi in a building like this before." More