Chicago Pawn Shops See An Uptick In Business Because of the Government Shut Down
CHICAGO (CBS) — Twenty-four days into the government shutdown, a Chicago pawn shop owner says he sees 10 to 20 federal employees come in each day in order to continue feeding their families and paying their bills.
Randy Cohen says he has welcomed a wave of new customers over the past 24 days.
More than 45,000 Illinois residents with federal jobs received $0 paychecks this past pay day.
Monday the shutdown forced one worker to part with a prized van.
“Oh he loves this thing. You should’ve heard what he put into it. He put a satellite TV, a sound system and a sunroof back there,” Cohen said.
It was sold for a quick $6,500.
Cohen agrees to hold onto the items for 60 days. He says he assigns a lower interest rate when he hears shutdown stories.
“I feel sorry for them,” he said. “Listen, they got to pay their mortgage. They got to pay a car payment.”
It’s probably stuff people saved, one worker said.
“For a rainy day,” Cohen said. “And it’s raining for them. Think about it. Thank God they had stuff like this.”
Government workers don’t need to travel far to get to this pawn shop.
It’s next to a U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services building and a FEMA office and across the street from a federal corrections center downtown.
Well that’s a shame. And I’m not speaking in a facetious way like everyone else does when they use that phrase at Barstool, I’m serious. Sucks some dude had to get rid of his decked out ambulance he uses 8 times a year at Bears tailgates, but that’s the world we live in in this government shutdown. If Cryin’ Nancy and Lyin’ Ted would get their asses back to work we wouldn’t be in this mess! Kidding I have no idea wtf is going on with that shit and couldn’t care less.
Anyways I am sure this guy will get his van back once he’s compensated in full after the shut down’s over and life will go on. But this ain’t about that. This is an ode to one of the great TV shows of our time. I’m talking of course, about Pawn Stars. As far as I’m concerned, this is the rankings for best TV shows ever.
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5. Seinfeld
4. Sopranos
3. Game of Thrones
2. Breaking Bad
1. Pawn Stars
Ya ever call in sick to work and can’t stand listening to all the political hot takes on ESPN? Can only handle so many paternity tests on Maury? Out of HBO shows to binge watch? Well that’s where Pawn Stars steps in. It is the perfect daytime TV show. Some people have an affinity for shitty ‘reality’ television. For Big Cat it’s Bar Rescue. For a lot of the Barstool cast it’s Real World/Road Rules shit. For me it’s Pawn Stars.
This is something I needed to quickly get off my back. Here’s a “most insane moment” youtube video, for your viewing pleasure.
Also, two quick pawn stories:
My grandma bought me a Fossil watch in HS. I still have it to this day actually. It doesn’t work but it’s officially become a keepsake to me. Anything I successfully own for 10+ years without losing it in a 3am Uber ride should immediately spike in value and be put in the National Archives Museum.
Anyways, back in college I needed money to buy booze. I had none on tap. Even our “skol disguised as bottled water” supply was dry. That, and I had maxed out all of my plasma donations and was broke as a joke. I thought “hey, I like Pawn Stars. Maybe I’ll pawn my $100 Fossil, get $30, buy it back later, and live happily ever after?” Like this was an actual thought that went through my brain. I went to some Pawn Shop on Ogden Ave. in Naperville with the watch and the guy was like “uhhh…. We only pawn like Rolex watches and shit like that. I wouldn’t give you $5 for that piece of shit.”
A simple ‘no’ would have been just fine? You fucking dick! Still hate that guy
Next story:
A girl I’m friends with was in Vegas a few years back and got hit on by Chumlee. Apparently he followed her all over whatever club they were in. She described him as fat, oily, smelled like a locker room and no matter how many times she told him to fuck off he’d find her a few mins later and try to dance on her and shit. Anyways, about two weeks later this happened:
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That’s a shame. I got a really good laugh out of that though. Fucking weirdo.
PS – RIP Old Man. His eyes will be closed for all of eternity
Also, obligatory: