- April 25, 2024
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Crown Jewelers and Pawn marks anniversary.
Wayne Grant
News Editor
“It’s the second-oldest profession,” said Paul Howes, with a grin. He was talking about the pawn business, and how it's always been part of society.
And the job is still keeping him busy, since he opened Crown Jewelers and Pawn, 72 S. Yonge St., 26 years ago, along with his wife and her parents.
On a recent morning, there was steady stream of visitors into the brightly-lit shop, which has an awesome array of goods available for purchase, from ukuleles to surf boards to power tools, along with 15 display cases of jewelry.
Howes said there has always been a need for people to get short-term loans and that’s the basis of the pawn business. People leave their item for 30 days and can pick it up by paying back the loan and a fee. They can extend for another 30 days, by paying an additional fee.
After 60 days, the item goes up for sale, and that’s the other part of the business, buying and selling.
Howes said people from all backgrounds and incomes visit the store looking for bargains. He said they might be looking for a 60-inch television, and find one in his shop that’s half the price of retail.
“It doesn’t matter how much a person has, they are concerned about saving money,” he said.
TV shows boost business
The reality TVs shows that feature pawn shops have been good for business. He said many people have come in after seeing “Pawn Stars,” a show that he likes. He does not care for another show about a Detroit pawn shops, because the people are rude to each other and customers.
“I couldn’t work like that,” he said.
Howes has a ready smile and likes to maintain a pleasant atmosphere.
“My wife says people don’t get my jokes,” he said.
Howes opened the shop after working in sales in a pawn shop for several years. He said he’s enjoyed dealing with people over the years.
“It’s like being a bartender,” he said. “You hear all kinds of stories about their situations.”
He also enjoys the wheeling and dealing, and handling an endless variety of merchandise.
“It’s the whole atmosphere,” he said. “It gets in your blood.”
Occasionally, here’s an unusual transaction. Once, a woman came in with a negligee and only wanted enough money to get a pack of cigarettes. Another time, they opened a Christmas present on the counter because a person had spent too much money on a single present.
Howes agrees with the character on “Pawn Stars,” who says you never know what’s going to come in the door.
‘You know a little about everything’
On the TV show, the shop owners always go to an expert to determine the value of an item.
“That’s my expert,” Howes said, pointing to the computer. Also, experience has taught him how to determine value based on the condition of the item.
“This is the kind of business where you know a little about everything,” he said.
He said the jewelry part of the business grew out of the original pawn shop, because jewelry is a popular item to pawn. Many people buy used jewelry, because often you can’t tell it from a piece that’s new.
He said some of the old movies give a bad impression of the pawn business, and people should visit and see for themselves. Some people have told him they were embarrassed to pawn an item.
“You shouldn’t be embarrassed,” he said. “You’re not embarrassed when you go to the bank.”
In many people’s minds, pawn shops are related to stolen items, but state laws are in place to combat the problem. Pawn shops must record personal information about anyone pawning an item, including a thumb print. Also, details about every item pawned is provided to the Sheriff’s Office, so police only have to search a data base when something is stolen.
Once, he said someone came into the store to look for a stolen item. But all the person needed to do was make a report to police with a description of the item.
Visit Ormondbeachpawnshop.com or call 672-3185.
