Secondhand chance
Colorado Springs Independent Newsweekly
I'm standing inside Kash's Gems pawn shop in Colorado Springs, Colo., reporter John Knight writes. It's my first time inside a pawnshop, and if you'd asked me why I'd never been before, I might have cited dialogue like this as a good reason. But in spite of myself — and the gun rack and knife counter — I still feel comfortable. Kash's is filled with quality products, mostly tools, packed and stacked on the shelves. There are two counters, one glittering with bright coral jewelry, and the knives share space with binoculars, watches and digital cameras. Behind the jewelry is an easy chair where Kazimierz "Kash" Warszawski usually sits.More

A gift of musical proportions to the South Carolina School For The Deaf And The Blind
WSPA-TV
A symphonic surprise for students at the South Carolina School For The Deaf And The Blind in Spartanburg. The students received new and gently used instruments thanks to the Downtown Spartanburg Lions Club and the National Pawnbrokers Association. The school received everything from flutes to drums.  The school says the instruments have been on their wishlist for a while.More

Illinois pawnshops offer alternatives
Galesburg Register-Mail
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the most anticipated days for Christmas shoppers. But, there’s another place to shop where bargains are the rule every day, or you can bring in merchandise and walk out with cash for shopping.More

Pawnshops put high note on St. Nicholas Day
Lake County News-Sun
The No. 1 item in pawnshops is hinted at in the name of Hometown Jewelry & Loan Co. in Waukegan, Ill. "Jewelry, mostly," said owner Scott A. Kaghan, when asked what dominates his business. In agreement was Scott Weiss of Alexander's Jewelry and Loan in Round Lake Beach, who estimated that jewelry makes up 88 percent of his merchandise. But a glance along the walls at Hometown revealed another dominant theme: music, as represented by rows of acoustic, electric and bass guitars.More

'Unbanked' America
The New York Times
About one in 13 American households doesn't use a checking or savings account, according to a new survey from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The new survey results come on the heels of policy discussions about the security and exploitation of consumers within the broader financial system. The survey found that over a quarter — 25.6 percent — of all households either don't have a checking or savings account at all, or have a bank account but still choose to rely regularly on "alternative financial services" like payday lenders and pawnshops.More

East Metro Atlanta pawnshops team up to provide musical instruments
CrossRoadsNews
Metro Atlanta area students at Knollwood Elementary School can now add "Keyboard Club" to their list of options when selecting clubs for the academic year. Representatives from South DeKalb Count pawnshops presented the Decatur school with five keyboards on Dec. 1 to help start the club. More

Pawnshop owner Ezcorp names Brad Wolfe as CFO, replacing Daniel Tonissen, who is retiring
The Associated Press via The San Francisco Examiner
Pawnshop owner Ezcorp Inc. said it named Brad Wolfe as chief financial officer and senior vice president of finance. Wolfe will assume the position of CFO on Jan. 1. He will replace Daniel N. Tonissen as CFO, who is retiring.More

Lynn, Mass., pawnshop offers option this Christmas
The Daily Item
Black Friday may only happen once in retail stores — the day after Thanksgiving — but for those looking for a deal, and who aren't afraid to haggle, it is like Black Friday everyday in pawnshops.More

Phoenix suburban pawnshops offer serious savings for holiday shopping
KNXV-TV
Pawnshop owners across the Valley in Arizona, say they are starting to see a new customer base for the holidays this year because of the economy. "People who were able to go into stores and get a line of credit a couple years ago now have to look for different avenues," said Bob Palagi, the general manager of North Phoenix Pawn Shop in Peoria. "When the economy is bad, and you can save 20 to 40 percent buying used, people come in."More