TLC cashes in on a trend with 'Pawn Queens'
Minda Grabiec (left) and Nikki Ruehl
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Some industries flourish in tough times. Like almost no other, the pawn industry has come to the fore in recent years, buoyed by the ongoing rough economy -- and the rising number of TV shows working off the "trash to treasure" principle.
Starting Thursday, May 5, TLC takes the plunge into those quick-cash waters with "Pawn Queens." Centered on businesswomen Minda Grabiec and Nikki Ruehl and the shop they run outside Chicago with their business partners, Greg Holloway and Tom Brunzelle, the show illustrates the array of characters involved in pawning and the fascinating insights brought on by the items being hocked. It also highlights the unique character of this particular enterprise, as it aims to cater to women and a more family-friendly clientele, in defiance of the stereotype of pawnshops as rough places for rough people.
On the day we visited their store, Naperville Jewelry & Loan in Naperville, Ill., several items were up for sale, including a Chicago newspaper from the day after the Titanic's sinking and a war-era nurse's uniform. In between expert appraisals and negotiations with customers, we spoke with them about the trials and hilarities involved in what can be, at times, a shady business.
They started the business in 2009, just as Greg and Tom were getting out of their respective careers. "It all just kind of worked together," Grabiec explains of the timing. "And the state of the economy -- I mean, gosh, we're not going to open up an ice cream shop. We're not going to do specialty cupcakes. It just fit. We were the first (pawnshop) in Naperville, and now there are six or seven. Obviously we're onto something."
Ruehl points out that at least one of the shops Grabiec describes is actually a location that deals strictly with gold. "Technically, those cash-for-golds are not pawnshops," Grabiec says. "We kind of pride ourselves on being a little more …"
"Feminine?" Ruehl offers.
"Respectable," Grabiec clarifies. "At a shop like that, you can go in and sell gold. You don't have to provide any form of ID, etc., whereas here, we log our stuff every day."
That isn't to say that gold doesn't come the way of these folks. One of Ruehl's favorite rejection stories involved a particularly sticky quantity of the stuff. "Someone tried to strain the gold out of Goldschlager and bring it in to sell," she says, laughing.
There are plenty of stories like this for anyone who's involved in the pawn industry. Among the worst items they see regularly are purses -- a particular affront to Ruehl, who has an affinity for them. " 'I bought this at Saks!' " she says, mocking the tired sales pitch. " 'For my girlfriend, and now we've broken up!' " Grabiec adds. "That happens all the time."
Sometimes the offerings get downright strange -- such as the woman who came in with a dead spider in a jar. "It was spooky," Ruehl recalls. "It was wrapped in this box, and then it had burlap wrapped around it, and you'd pull it out, and it's like, a suede necklace that you would tie, and it was a dead black widow in a little jar that kind of had wax on the top of it."
Then there are the stories that showcase the scrupulousness of these proprietors, such as the woman who came in with some rare coins. "She brought in a handful of coins, and one of them, after some research, turned out to potentially be worth about $100,000," Grabiec remembers. After a bit of research, they showed her that this particular coin was far beyond what they could reasonably pay her for it. "She kind of just said, 'Really?' when she heard how much it was worth and slid it into her pocket."
Of course, they see the dark and disturbing as well. "There was a man that came in one time, and literally just started crying," Ruehl recalls. "He's like, 'I've lost my house. I've lost my car. I've lost my wife. I've lost my job.' He's, you know, a bigger guy -- and he started crying. And he's trying to pawn stuff, and it's just like, 'Oh, man.' … That's tough."
It's a definite slice of life that comes into their place looking to deal. From the curious to the misguided, the desperate to the dreamers, the "Pawn Queens" folks get them all. And with the premiere of the series, they can only expect more.
Starting Thursday, May 5, TLC takes the plunge into those quick-cash waters with "Pawn Queens." Centered on businesswomen Minda Grabiec and Nikki Ruehl and the shop they run outside Chicago with their business partners, Greg Holloway and Tom Brunzelle, the show illustrates the array of characters involved in pawning and the fascinating insights brought on by the items being hocked. It also highlights the unique character of this particular enterprise, as it aims to cater to women and a more family-friendly clientele, in defiance of the stereotype of pawnshops as rough places for rough people.
On the day we visited their store, Naperville Jewelry & Loan in Naperville, Ill., several items were up for sale, including a Chicago newspaper from the day after the Titanic's sinking and a war-era nurse's uniform. In between expert appraisals and negotiations with customers, we spoke with them about the trials and hilarities involved in what can be, at times, a shady business.
They started the business in 2009, just as Greg and Tom were getting out of their respective careers. "It all just kind of worked together," Grabiec explains of the timing. "And the state of the economy -- I mean, gosh, we're not going to open up an ice cream shop. We're not going to do specialty cupcakes. It just fit. We were the first (pawnshop) in Naperville, and now there are six or seven. Obviously we're onto something."
Ruehl points out that at least one of the shops Grabiec describes is actually a location that deals strictly with gold. "Technically, those cash-for-golds are not pawnshops," Grabiec says. "We kind of pride ourselves on being a little more …"
"Feminine?" Ruehl offers.
"Respectable," Grabiec clarifies. "At a shop like that, you can go in and sell gold. You don't have to provide any form of ID, etc., whereas here, we log our stuff every day."
That isn't to say that gold doesn't come the way of these folks. One of Ruehl's favorite rejection stories involved a particularly sticky quantity of the stuff. "Someone tried to strain the gold out of Goldschlager and bring it in to sell," she says, laughing.
There are plenty of stories like this for anyone who's involved in the pawn industry. Among the worst items they see regularly are purses -- a particular affront to Ruehl, who has an affinity for them. " 'I bought this at Saks!' " she says, mocking the tired sales pitch. " 'For my girlfriend, and now we've broken up!' " Grabiec adds. "That happens all the time."
Sometimes the offerings get downright strange -- such as the woman who came in with a dead spider in a jar. "It was spooky," Ruehl recalls. "It was wrapped in this box, and then it had burlap wrapped around it, and you'd pull it out, and it's like, a suede necklace that you would tie, and it was a dead black widow in a little jar that kind of had wax on the top of it."
Then there are the stories that showcase the scrupulousness of these proprietors, such as the woman who came in with some rare coins. "She brought in a handful of coins, and one of them, after some research, turned out to potentially be worth about $100,000," Grabiec remembers. After a bit of research, they showed her that this particular coin was far beyond what they could reasonably pay her for it. "She kind of just said, 'Really?' when she heard how much it was worth and slid it into her pocket."
Of course, they see the dark and disturbing as well. "There was a man that came in one time, and literally just started crying," Ruehl recalls. "He's like, 'I've lost my house. I've lost my car. I've lost my wife. I've lost my job.' He's, you know, a bigger guy -- and he started crying. And he's trying to pawn stuff, and it's just like, 'Oh, man.' … That's tough."
It's a definite slice of life that comes into their place looking to deal. From the curious to the misguided, the desperate to the dreamers, the "Pawn Queens" folks get them all. And with the premiere of the series, they can only expect more.
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