Troy Farr has been in the pawn business for 24 years. He and his wife, Andrea, opened the second location of Texas Pawn & Jewelry in Leander in 2014.[/caption]
At Texas Pawn & Jewelry, customers can shop for a variety of items, including a gold necklace, a hunting rifle or a flat-screen TV.
Owners Troy and Andrea Farr first opened their business in 2004 in Hutto, and 10 years later the couple decided to open a second location in Leander. Troy said smaller communities appealed to him when making a decision about where to operate his business.
“The people in Hutto are fantastic; the people in Leander are fantastic,” Troy said. “Every day is unique. You hear stories and see different things. It’s entertaining—people don’t mind sharing their lives with you.”
Customers can not only shop for items at Texas Pawn & Jewelry but also sell goods of their own to the store or use items as collateral for a loan. Some of the most common items brought into the shop by customers are jewelry and firearms, but Troy said he does see the occasional uncommon item.
“In Leander we have two tractors, and that’s not a [common] item,” he said. “I’ve taken cars—I took a Jaguar in 2005. If it’s worth something, we’ll take it.”
When evaluating an item’s worth, the employees of Texas Pawn & Jewelry conduct research to determine both the shelf price and loan amount. Michael Nanyes, manager of the Leander store, said his experience of working in the pawn industry for 16 years has taught him much about the item valuation process.
“You research [an item] and get the most information as possible, and if you can’t, that’s where you become a pawnbroker,” he said. “You just go with it.”
Evaluations are done in-store when an item is brought in, and by law, items are required to be registered in a database that the police can access. If the item is reported as stolen the police have the right to seize the property, and the shop owner loses the money garnered from the transaction.
Last fall the Farrs also hired a jeweler at the Leander location for repairs and ring sizing.
“We’re a business just like anyone else,” Troy said. “We’re a gun store, a jewelry store, an electronic store, a tool store and a bank all at the same time.”
Troy Farr has been in the pawn business for 24 years. He and his wife, Andrea, opened the second location of Texas Pawn & Jewelry in Leander in 2014.[/caption]
At Texas Pawn & Jewelry, customers can shop for a variety of items, including a gold necklace, a hunting rifle or a flat-screen TV.
Owners Troy and Andrea Farr first opened their business in 2004 in Hutto, and 10 years later the couple decided to open a second location in Leander. Troy said smaller communities appealed to him when making a decision about where to operate his business.
“The people in Hutto are fantastic; the people in Leander are fantastic,” Troy said. “Every day is unique. You hear stories and see different things. It’s entertaining—people don’t mind sharing their lives with you.”
Customers can not only shop for items at Texas Pawn & Jewelry but also sell goods of their own to the store or use items as collateral for a loan. Some of the most common items brought into the shop by customers are jewelry and firearms, but Troy said he does see the occasional uncommon item.
“In Leander we have two tractors, and that’s not a [common] item,” he said. “I’ve taken cars—I took a Jaguar in 2005. If it’s worth something, we’ll take it.”
When evaluating an item’s worth, the employees of Texas Pawn & Jewelry conduct research to determine both the shelf price and loan amount. Michael Nanyes, manager of the Leander store, said his experience of working in the pawn industry for 16 years has taught him much about the item valuation process.
“You research [an item] and get the most information as possible, and if you can’t, that’s where you become a pawnbroker,” he said. “You just go with it.”
Evaluations are done in-store when an item is brought in, and by law, items are required to be registered in a database that the police can access. If the item is reported as stolen the police have the right to seize the property, and the shop owner loses the money garnered from the transaction.
Last fall the Farrs also hired a jeweler at the Leander location for repairs and ring sizing.
“We’re a business just like anyone else,” Troy said. “We’re a gun store, a jewelry store, an electronic store, a tool store and a bank all at the same time.”
