Despite what the Pawn Stars of the History Channel may have you believe, pawn shops aren’t all wacky items that require expert appraisal. Houston has its fair share of pawn shops, and they’re filled with items both quirky and practical.
“You can find almost anything — literally almost anything,” said Jim Wright of Wright Pawn and Jewelry Company.
We spoke to different pawn shops to find out what they’re selling. Here are some of our favorites.
8. Used Dentures (Gross?)
David Pilgrim of Action Pawn, our Best Pawn Shop of 2013, said the store has “a little bit of everything.” Teeth included, apparently.
“We try to keep it fun and interesting,” Pilgrim said.
7. Saddles
Pawn shops told us that what they sell depends on where they’re located and the clientele they attract. Some locations call for saddles, in which case, come on in, cowboy.
6. Guns
Antique guns that are no longer usable, and pistols that are waiting to be shot, can both be found at pawn shops.
5. Bikes
Pilgrim told us that Action Pawn, located in the Montrose area, caters to the neighborhood’s need for high-end bikes. The store has bicycles that retail at anywhere from $500 to $5,000.
“The neighborhood is so saturated with people looking for alternative means of transportation,” Pilgrim said.
4. Tools
Whether you need a tool that will fix the bike you just bought at the pawn shop, or an antique drill to collect, Wright said a Houston pawn shop in a more rural area should have it.
3. Televisions
Pawn shops told us that televisions are one of the most common things they sell. Apparently not everyone lives off of Netflix and Hulu — weird.
2. Video Game Consoles
PlayStation 4 or the Xbox One probably won’t be for sale at any pawn shops, but their predecessors — from Xbox 360 to Nintendo 64 — will be.
1. Jewelry
Almost every pawn shop we talked to said they sold jewelry. According to Wright, how nice that jewelry is depends on the neighborhood.
“I melt ten-carat gold,” he said.
This article appears in May 15-21, 2014.