One Fresno pawn shop sees new customers and unconventional items as the economy struggles

[Newsjock]

Source: Fresno Bee

The price of gold is up. Chances of finding a job in construction are down. Gas is $3.50 a gallon. And getting by in the impoverished areas around Belmont Avenue is tough -- and always has been.

So the loud buzzer (they have to buzz to let you in -- and out) at the neighborhood pawn shop sounds more often than ever. The regulars at the Fresno Hock Shoppe still come in, but about a third of the business now is first-time customers seeking loans in tough financial times. They're putting up jewelry, computers, iPods, saddles, lawn mowers. Anything they have.

... But even before the personal tales unfold, just looking around the shop reveals how the economic downturn is tilting people's lives.

Most of one wall is filled with power saws and air compressors and tool kits.

"The construction guys are out of work," says Robbie Van Gronigen, who runs the pawn shop. "We have a lot more tools than before."

... "Yesterday a lady called, wanting to know if she could pawn her dentures," says Benson.

Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/263/v-printerfriendly/story/482386.html

[peacetalksforall]

1. This article should appear in every newspaper all over the world.

Tell it like it is here.

Yep, just as the right wing (and libertarians?) say -

Americans are superior to all the other people on
the earth. We have plentiful pawn shops. For now.

With all due nostalgia.

Guess we won't be using as much gas.

[earthboundmisfit]

2. Those "stimulus" checks ain't gonna fix this

And it's happening all over the country. The other day this story was on th enew in the Tulsa OK area (normally don't watch the Fox affiliate here, but the story popped up on my provider homepage news list):

Pawning to make ends meet
Reported by: Abbie Alford

(TULSA, Okla.) March 20 - A weak economy is making it tough on families, but one local industry is seeing a spike in business.

Some pawn shops in Tulsa say they've noticed more people are pawning anything from their car to tools and using the money to pay for gas.

"We see a lot of people running out of gas right in front of the place. They are out of gas, they have to do something", says Tony Mills with Big Time Pawn Shop.

more at link: Pawning to make ends meet

[earthboundmisfit]

3. Kick

Already rec'd
:kick:

[progressoid]

4. Bunch of wimps.

Happy Days are Here Again!

http://seekingalpha.com/article/69823-jim-cramer-s-mad-money-in-depth-3-24-08-happy-days-are-here-again?source=side_bar_cramers_picks

[Mojorabbit]

5. I don't get out much

but in the past 6 months pawn shops have been popping up everywhere. I told my hubby that it is my way of guaging the economy. Haven't seen so many since the 80's.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

6. And in Fresno, they will pawn their dentures

and still vote for grampa McBush.