Pawnshopstoday.com is the pawn industry’s national voice.  This site was developed to offer people a national site with correct facts relating to the pawn industry.  Any person, group or affiliation that is seeking correct, truthful and factual information on the pawn industry can find it here.  Audiences include politicians, political aides, journalists, media personal, consumer groups and consumers, among others.

http://pawnshopstoday.com/Home.html

Please use this link to find the latest and most current information on the pawn  industry.  There you will find a host of informative facts and information about our industry, with links to various sources that you will be able access and surely find the answer to your questions.

If you are having trouble locating the information you request, you can also contact the National Pawnbrokers Association, NPA, at their official website.

http://www.nationalpawnbrokers.org

If you are in Illinois and are intereted in finding information on the pawnbroking industry in Illinois, visit

http://www.Illinoiospawn.org.

The National Pawnbrokers Association held its 1st annual Musical Instrument Gift Day on December 6th.  Pawn shops in 14 states across the country joined forces this holiday season to provide underprivileged children with over 300 musical instruments. www.GiftDay.org

If you know of a pawnbroker who is doing exceptional community service please let us know so we can include their efforts in our on-line presence.  Thank you.

I just returned from an exhausting visit to the 2010 “SHOT” Show in Las Vegas, NV.  “SHOT” means Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade. The “SHOT” Show is the world’s largest firearm, hunting & outdoor trade show, featuring thousands of vendors and exhibitors.   This year’s show was held at the Sand’s Expo & Convention Center and this year’s attendance was in excess of 58,000 attendees.  This is almost a record, coming close to the 2008 show, which brought in a staggering 59,000+ attendees.

The show features world-wide vendors and manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, outdoor and tactical optics, camping, apparel, cutlery, law enforcement and related products and services.  The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the firearms industry’s trade association, (NSSF),  owns and sponsors the “SHOT” Show.

From the moment the beginning bell rang, until it sounded 4 days later at the show’s close, I knew this was going to be a hugely successful show for both buyers and sellers.  Many vendors and exhibitors were offering excellent show specials to buyers and many buyers were ready to purchase, so it was a good marriage this year.  With the economy being in such a slump, many smart vendors had deep discounts, as much as 30% off regular wholesale prices.  Ready buyers were able to take advantage of this year’s buying opportunity to re-stock their retail shelves.  This, of course, will provide considerable savings to the retail consumer who is struggling to maintain tight budgets and still purchase products that many have been holding off on purchasing.

Every name brand you can think of was exhibiting at the SHOT Show like, Winchester, Remington, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Benelli, Browning, Sig Sauer, Glock, H&K, Colt, Springfield Armory, Mossberg, Rock River Arms, Bushmaster, Beretta, Kimber and many, many more.  There are just too many to name.  To be exact, there were 1,633 exhibitors this year.

In addition to the products and services offered the “SHOT” Show offered many educational seminars for firearm retails and special training classes for law enforcement personnel.  This show is the complete package for anyone who is in the in shooting, hunting or outdoor trade industry.  One cannot come back from this show without a better knowledge, understanding or insight into one of America’s oldest industries and have a finer appreciation of the U.S. Constitution’s 2^nd Amendment:  The Right To Bear Arms.

Next year’s SHOT Show is slated for January 18-21, 2011, at the Sands Expo & Conference Center in Las Vegas.

Perry Lewin, President, Decatur Jewelry & Pawn

Pictured along with Wade and Logan are his parents, Jerry (back row, middle) and Cathy (front row, right), Kirk Myers, Prairie State Bank & Trust President (back row, left) & Perry Lewin, President, Decatur Jewelry & Pawn, Decatur, IL.

Decatur Jewelry and Pawn presented Logan Bloemer of Effingham, Illinois the 2009 Future Business Leaders Scholarship award. Logan is attending the University of Illinois this fall in Champaign, IL. Also present is Wade Bloemer, Decatur Jewelry & Pawn’s 2008 scholarship recipient.

The scholarship is given out by the National Pawnbroker’s Association, (NPA.) www.nationalpawnbrokers.org

The Future Business Leaders (FBL) Scholarship Committee accepts applications from NPA members desiring to sponsor applicants that fulfill the merit requirements for $1,000 Scholarship awards.

The FBL Scholarship Fund was founded several years ago to benefit the children of slain police officers and the children of pawn customers. Today the program also provides an educational opportunity for pawn industry employees and their families with financial needs. Several pawnbrokers have consulted with local politicians and church officials for student referrals who have shown exemplary community or church involvement, as well as scholastic and academic excellence.

This is a wonderful way for pawnbrokers to show appreciation to their community.

The FBL Scholarship Fund has qualified for 501(c) (3) status with the IRS, making donations a charitable contribution. Learn how to donate to this fund.

Decatur Jewelry & Pawn Owner, Perry Lewin, speaks to Decatur, Illinois’ Herald & Review newspaper about the pawn business in today’s economy.

See full article in the Herald & Review…

From left to right: Frank Ingram, IPA Vice President, Kathy Pierce, IPA Secretary, Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Perry Lewin, IPA State Director, Jacob Shane and David Shane, IPA President. Front row: Carmencita Shane, IPA Treasurer.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, (D-Illinois) met with members of the Illinois Pawnbroker Association leadership in Decatur, Il. Senator Durbin visited Perry Lewin’s store, Decatur Jewelry & Pawn.

The purpose of the meeting was a fact-finding meeting and pawn-store tour for the Senator and his staff. Mr. Lewin hosted the IPA leadership and the Senator to open dialogue between the pawn industry and his office.