History of pawn broker shops

Sam Houston Pawn & Jewelry
About Us

       Sam Houston Pawn and Jewelry is committed to providing you with a fast way to obtain a quick cash loan for yourself. Thus our motto, "Cash in a Flash" was born. We take in any item of value and provide you with needed cash.

     Sam Houston Pawn and Jewelry is locally owned and operated by Terry Wieland and Kevin McCarty. Kevin is a member of the board of Directors of the Texas Association of Pawnbrokers. They combined have over 25 years in the Pawn Industry.

     Please feel free to come out and visit with us, at the store.

Some Frequently Ask Questions?

Just what is a Pawn Shop?

     You see them in the various parts of town and you have been wondering just exactly what is the pawn shop, how do they work and why are they becoming more common place? But... you haven't asked.

     Well to answer your question, let's look at the history of pawn shops. Pawn shops date back to ancient times and are one of the earliest recorded lending institutions. During the late middle ages the House of Lombard in Europe had a group of Pawn shops. The sign of the House of Lombard was three golden balls an the sign was associated for years with the pawn industry.

     The pawn industry came to America with the first settlers and in the early part of this century pawn broking was regarded as the main source of consumer credit. With the rise of large consumer institutions, such as finance corporations, savings and loan associations, and credit unions, the pawn shop is no longer the major source of consumer credit. But the pawn shop still plays a vital role in the area of providing consumer credit.

     The general public needs to borrow small sums of money that other sources are not willing to provide them and this resulted in the rise of popularity of pawn shops. What chance do you think you would have in securing a $300.00 or smaller loan from financial institution for a 90 day period? The cost of the paper work alone prohibits them from making such loans on a regular basis.

What can you find in a pawn shop?

     Good value at a good price. Get the most for your dollar. Vast savings on outstanding merchandise. A good deal. Bargains basement and close-out prices everyday.

    If you are interested in saving money and finding great values, the pawn shop is the place for you to go. Today's pawn shop has it all. Quality merchandise at outstanding prices is what the modern pawn shop is all about.

    Previously owned merchandise of excellent quality can be found on the shelves of your pawn shop. Every time a pawnbroker loans on an item he knows that someday it could be on his shelf for sale. Therefore, he only will deal in good quality merchandise. Also, the pawn shop is an established business. The pawnbroker is not here today and gone tomorrow like the flea market, auction sale, garage sale, or the guy selling out of his van on the side of the road. Today's pawnbroker knows his business and is only as good as his reputation. It's as simple as that.

    Since the merchandise is previously owned, the number of makes and models of merchandise can almost be limitless. You just never know what you may find in today's pawn shop.

    Today's pawnbrokers are regulated and licensed by the Office of Consumer Credit Commission.

    Variety makes visiting the pawn shop an exciting and enjoyable experience. You would have to visit dozens of different retail stores to find all the different types of merchandise found in a single pawn shop. Specialty items including jewelry, silver, relics, clocks, stereos, sporting goods, memorabilia, cameras, computers, musical instruments, TV's, VCR's, camcorders, tools, bikes, coins, and guns are just few of the things to be found in the pawn shop. The list goes on and on. The good thing is that the merchandise is always changing. So, whenever you visit your favorite pawn shop, there will always be something new for you to see.

   So, what are you waiting for? There is a world of bargains to be found in your neighborhood pawn shop. Check it out. You'll be glad you did.

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Sam Houston Pawn and Jewelry, 1701 Sam Houston St., Victoria, Texas 77901