Shops Bask in Pawn Star's Glow

At  employee Gary Brown recalled, a woman once approached his counter and pulled from her mouth a bridge of gold teeth.

According to Brown, it was one of the most unusual items that anyone has ever brought into his shop for a loan.

“The most popular items are laptops and jewelry,” he said.

No one has ever pulled out false teeth on the History Channel’s popular show, “Pawn Stars,” but according to Brown, what really happens in a pawn shop does not a good reality television show make.

The show hasn’t helped the business of the 22-year-old pawn shop and, Brown says, if anything, it’s misrepresented the pawn business.

“People buy these so-called collectibles and then think they’re going to make a lot of money,” he said. “That’s just not going to happen.”

However, George Boullon, owner of Wimpey’s Pawn Shop in Murrieta, says that the show has brought more interest to pawn shops.

“People are bringing in some unique and high-quality items,” he said.

That includes a pair of giant solid-brass binoculars from a Japanese battleship, which has been in the shop since Boullon bought it six years ago.

According to his son, Alex, 17, who helps in the shop, they haven’t been able to value it yet because, unlike Rick in “Pawn Stars,” Boullon doesn’t have a group of experts at his fingertips.

Most of his expertise comes from his own background in the equipment rental business, jewelry repair and sales.

He has also shopped in pawn stores since he was a teen.

Family-owned Wimpey’s does not accept guns or weapons according to Tammie Boullon, George’s wife.

"It’s also a safety issue,” she said.

Pawning or purchasing guns also requires complicated registration issues and the Boullons feel it’s not in their best interest to deal in weapons.

Jewelry is very popular item for those both selling and buying.

The Boullons said that couples looking for wedding sets often are able to shave as much as 70 percent from retail prices.

The couple’s oldest son, Evan, 24, is the one who can spot the newest and most saleable electronics.

“We only take the newest items,” he said, “Digital cameras have to be 10 megapixels or more.”

They’ve received very few IPads or other tablet products and they are always redeemed.

Rod Henderson has owned Ben’s Jewelry and Loan in Lake Elsinore for over 20 years. He thinks that the reality show has also helped remove the stigma that has become attached to pawn shops.

“We’re getting different kind of people that never would have used a pawn shop before,” he said.

Like his Murrieta and Temecula counterparts jewelry is a popular item but he is concerned about the competition that comes from the recent businesses that buy gold, sometimes in hotel rooms or gold parties.

“They don’t adhere to the same regulations we do and that can hurt the customer,” said Henderson.

Laws that govern pawn shops include a mandatory 30-day hold on any item they buy plus they must send a copy of the pawn ticket to local law enforcement. Pawn shops also obtain a copy of a driver’s license or other legitimate ID as well as a thumb print. Most pawn shops also have cameras that capture a photo of the transaction.

In addition they must have a pawn broker’s license, file with the Department of Justice and carry commercial insurance. They also must be bonded and, if they purchase jewelry, they must have a weigh master license.

Although precautions and regulations prevent most stolen items from being accepted at legitimate pawn shops, it doesn’t stop someone from trying.

“Usually it’s nephews, cousins or other family members,” said Evan Boullon.

“But once they see what they have to do to pawn it, they leave.”

Though it seems that the number of those using pawn shops as sources of ready cash has increased since the recession hit, the number of those who redeem their goods has increased since the recession has eased, pawn shop owners and employees said.