Hardcore Pawn

**Jimaz** · September-15-11, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

...Threadjack - I like Storage Wars on A & E, although they make it look far too easy. I did hear a guy say on one episode that 80% of all buys are total busts. Anyone ever hear of or participated in these locker auctions in the Detroit area?

Phoenix has a similar market. There's a huge number of retirees there. When they die, their family often doesn't want their belongings shipped home so they get packed into a big crate instead. The crates get auctioned off to folks who have no idea what's in them. It's a total crap shoot. I've heard that good money can be made buying those crates. A lot of heirlooms must get lost in the process. It sounds cold-hearted but what else are you going to do with that stuff?

**Scottathew** · September-15-11, 07:00 PM

The TV show Hardcore Pawn is downright racist. The show basically portrays two different kinds of customers:

1) Angry black people
2) Weird white people

Nearly every single black person on that show is told to be as loud and act as ignorant and ghetto as possible.

I used to watch the show because it was based out of Detroit, but I stopped DVRing it because I'm tired of watching the same stereotype over and over again.

**Thruster315** · September-15-11, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by CLAUDE G

Now on the other hand, Pawn Stars in Vegas has their issues also. I like the old man, Rick, Big Haus and Chumley, eventhough their is some differences it adds to the show. I just don't like the fact that evertime someone brings in something they need to call in an expert. They been in the business long enough, they should know what they are doing.

"Experts"? I don't mind those guys [[or any pawn shops folk) calling in experts in their respective fields to grade things but who the hell is that dope that the Harrisons call in to do verification of autographs? I think he's about as phony and hokey as they come. All he shows up with is a big ass Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass out of a briefcase and looks at the supposed signature. Shouldn't he be comparing the supposed signature to a known authenticated signature? That big ol' magnifying glass just shows some minute detail [[it wasn't signed with an auto-pen nor was it a photocopy) but where's the authenticity in that?

He's the only one I'd call on the carpet. Some of the other folks are at least known dealers and experts in their respective fields.

**animatedmartian** · September-15-11, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

The TV show Hardcore Pawn is downright racist. The show basically portrays two different kinds of customers:

1) Angry black people
2) Weird white people

Nearly every single black person on that show is told to be as loud and act as ignorant and ghetto as possible.

I used to watch the show because it was based out of Detroit, but I stopped DVRing it because I'm tired of watching the same stereotype over and over again.

They had a white guy who treated his girl like his property on the episode I watched.

And for some reason EVERYONE got pissed when they wouldn't get the amount of money they asked for. It also bugged me when some guys came in with working $2,000 RC helicopters and the pawn shop wouldn't buy it because they said that no one in the area would buy that sort of thing...cut to clips of burnt out buildings.

LIKE SERIOUSLY? 8 Mile and Lodge looks nothing like where ever they showed [[looked like Brightmoor). Not to mention Southfield is barely 100 yards away. Someone probably by word of mouth would have been interested in it. Oh well, their loss.

Not that I ever thought the show was meant to be accurate or anything, I knew it was meant to be dramatic and absurd.

**Thruster315** · September-15-11, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by CountrySquire

I did pawn some gold there after X mas and was given a much more fair a price and found the staff at American Jewelry to be way more professional then the other three shops I went to that day. It's a shame the show's producers don't run with that professionalism instead.

Because the producers probably know that "professionalism" would make for a boring show.

I'm also left to wonder if the Detroit market just doesn't have the goofy quirkier items to pawn like the Vegas Pawn Stars show. Seriously who wants to watch a ring, a three year old laptop, an XBox, lawnmower, or a watch being pawned?

**Thruster315** · September-15-11, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

And for some reason EVERYONE got pissed when they wouldn't get the amount of money they asked for. It also bugged me when some guys came in with working $2,000 RC helicopters and the pawn shop wouldn't buy it because they said that no one in the area would buy that sort of thing...cut to clips of burnt out buildings.

LIKE SERIOUSLY? 8 Mile and Lodge looks nothing like where ever they showed [[looked like Brightmoor). Not to mention Southfield is barely 100 yards away.

I also like how they always cut to shots of the People Mover, RenCen, and various shots of downtown Detroit- and imply that their store is in the heart of Detroit.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · September-15-11, 07:43 PM

The two episodes I saw had a man walk in and ask how much he could get for his prosthetic limb. After getting his $200.00 dollars [[I believe that's what he got) he proceded to hop out the shop on one leg.
The other one was a lady came in and asked how much she could get for her gold tooth, and took it out her mouth for Les to examine. I mean c'mon !! This show really shows Detroit in a bad way.

**old guy** · September-15-11, 09:16 PM

I swear every time I come across that show and see the owner of the store I can smell old, wet shag carpeting. It's weird.

**chitaku** · September-15-11, 09:20 PM

Darren McCarty is now an employee of American Jewlery and Loan

**Thruster315** · September-16-11, 12:55 AM

Originally Posted by chitaku

Darren McCarty is now an employee of American Jewlery and Loan

That's really sad. I feel for Darren Mac but seriously how sharp is this guy? I hear him on the sports talk shows and he sounds horrible and I think I'm being kind about my criticism too. It's almost as if he does no prep work before going onto the radio show and he doesn't seem to have a grasp of many other sports outside of his own- and even then he doesn't seem to articulate it too well.

Now I have no idea what role he'll take on at the pawn shop but from what I can see, most of the sales people that they show are somewhat savvy and aware of current prices of things. They're keenly sharp about antiques, electronic equipment, rare metals, gems, coins, watches, jewelry, etc.. and their pawn value and their retail value. I'm not saying they know it all [[we often see them referring to eBay or calling in experts) but they still strike me as some pretty knowledgeable people. Is Darren McCarty what would one call a bright bright guy capable of handling this?

It really makes me wonder if they just hired him for the fading marquee value or if he's just a glorified stock boy or even security. I can't see DMac on the pawn floor buying things from people with someone else's money anytime soon.

**Scottathew** · September-16-11, 06:16 AM

Darren McCarty has illness[[es) to feed. Loved him as a hockey player, but he's certainly no role model.

bartock · September-16-11, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by Thruster315

That's really sad. I feel for Darren Mac but seriously how sharp is this guy? I hear him on the sports talk shows and he sounds horrible and I think I'm being kind about my criticism too. It's almost as if he does no prep work before going onto the radio show and he doesn't seem to have a grasp of many other sports outside of his own- and even then he doesn't seem to articulate it too well.

Now I have no idea what role he'll take on at the pawn shop but from what I can see, most of the sales people that they show are somewhat savvy and aware of current prices of things. They're keenly sharp about antiques, electronic equipment, rare metals, gems, coins, watches, jewelry, etc.. and their pawn value and their retail value. I'm not saying they know it all [[we often see them referring to eBay or calling in experts) but they still strike me as some pretty knowledgeable people. Is Darren McCarty what would one call a bright bright guy capable of handling this?

It really makes me wonder if they just hired him for the fading marquee value or if he's just a glorified stock boy or even security. I can't see DMac on the pawn floor buying things from people with someone else's money anytime soon.

I think the answers probably lie in how/why D Mac engaged the pawn shop in the first place.

**drjeff** · September-16-11, 09:36 AM

They had a very "dramatic" episode awhile back where they went back to the original Sam's Loans location on Michigan Ave, on the same block as Slow's. Apparently there was a shooting in that store back in the 1970s. The current owner of the pawn shop said that area was skid row and very dangerous back then, or something to that effect. Now I didn't live in Detroit in the 1970s, but I have a hard time believing an area a couple blocks away from Tiger Stadium, which I did visit in the 70s, and across from the still open MCS, was that dangerous.

**Bigb23** · September-16-11, 10:08 AM

I guess I'm number two:

2) Weird white people, nuff said.

**trotwood** · September-17-11, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by bartock

Something of a threadjack, but this is one of the more "authentic" places in town. Fred's Unique Furniture in Eastpointe:
......on 8 Mile, in Eastpointe.

I've been to Fred's. There are some wonderful finds to be had there,though sometimes it takes quite a bit of sorting to find them. I bought a beautiful Empire[[?) sofa from there a few years ago. I've gotten many compliments on it&a few offers to.
Fred's is located on the Warren side of 8 mile if I'm not mistaken.

**Woodward's Cousin** · September-18-11, 11:01 AM

I feel embarassed for Darren McCarty. Couldn't the Illitchs have found something for him to do so they could pay him a modest salary. Have a bad feeling this won't end well for him.

**313WX** · September-18-11, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by bartock

Something of a threadjack, but this is one of the more "authentic" places in town. Fred's Unique Furniture in Eastpointe:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...,21.3,,0,11.75

It isn't a pawn shop...but it is.

Craziest place I've ever been, in a good way. Huge, better stuff, according to the owner, but not much better, IMO) some fairly wild looking sellers and buyers, but no open brandishing of guns or bravado. It is on 8 Mile, in Eastpointe. The owner...and I'm not sure if his name is Fred, told me that the people that do Hardcore Pawn and the people from 1-8-7 both approached him about doing a show there and doing an episode there, respectfully. He said he turned them down..."I don't want them to know what I do here." If you are in the area, stop by this place for an experience. There are even good deals.

That's Warren, not Eastpointe.

Esatpointe I believe starts at Eastwood, the first block you would pass coming west from Gratiot.

Fred's Unique Furniture is on 8 Mile and Elroy [[between Ehlert, the first light headed west from Gratiot, and Schoenherr, the next light headed west), in Warren.

bartock · September-19-11, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

That's Warren, not Eastpointe.

Esatpointe I believe starts at Eastwood, the first block you would pass coming west from Gratiot.

Fred's Unique Furniture is on 8 Mile and Elroy [[between Ehlert, the first light headed west from Gratiot, and Schoenherr, the next light headed west), in Warren.

My bad, it is in Warren.