Appreciation

National Write a Letter of Appreciation Week is March 1^st through the 7^th. Expressing gratitude for anything in our lives can be a rewarding practice, so we decided to write our own letter of appreciation and we are addressing it to you:

Dear Awesome Customers of Queen of Pawns,

Another 12 months has passed and that adds up to 19 years of doing business in Florida. Without you, we wouldn’t be having another birthday. Let us break down what that really means...

Your loyalty allows us to help people who are in a pinch for money and or need a little extra cash. When you come to Queen of Pawns for a loan or make a purchase, you allow our talented team to serve you.

Thanks to you, we have a purpose to get up in the morning and get to do what we love, everyday. Where would we be without you, our awesome customers? Who knows, but we wouldn’t be here, doing what we know best to make a positive impact on the world around us.

We look forward to seeing you again soon. Thank you for coming to us and entrusting Queen of PAWNS with your pawning needs year after year. To further express our appreciation, we are offering you a super special “thank you discount.” From now until the end of the month, just send us a Facebook message mentioning this letter of appreciation and receive our super special “thank you discount.”

Most sincerely,

Queen of PAWNS

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

3380 south military trail

Lake Worth, Florida 33463

561-434-4858

1180 South Military Trail

West Palm Beach, Florida 33415

561-343-4149

6080 Okeechobee Blvd.

West Palm Beach, Florida 33417

561-656-4149

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

5831 South Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando, Fl 32839

407-722-8811

1700 West Vine Street

Kissimmee, FL 34741

407201 3930

All Our Stores are Open:
Monday - Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Get Your Valentines Jewelry at Face Value

Cartier, Gucci, Bvlgari and Tiffany - all designers we love at Queen of PAWNS, and jewelry we sell based on pennyweight. What is a pennyweight, you ask? Read on and we’ll explain in a moment.

With all due respect to designer jewelry, when it comes to reselling, there is an inherent depreciation. The jewelry is just as spectacular as it was brand new, only as a resell item, there is no overhead of marketing. When we purchase precious items, we pay market value of the materials within each piece. We inspect diamonds and gems, determine authenticity of the metals and take into consideration any obvious signs of wear and tear. One of the most reliable methods we use to determine the authenticity of, gold for example, is the nitric acid test; performed right in front of the seller. (See our previous post, “Don’t Be Fooled, Know Your Gold, Part I”.)

Not to create confusion, but luxury watches are another story. Certain designers and manufacturers have established standards and quality in the construction of their watches that have come to be expected from them. Names DO make a difference in the world of luxury watches. That said, Queen of Pawns has gorgeous, luxury watches, of all kinds, at unbeatable prices. For more insight to what makes a watch a luxury item, see our post, “How Watches Tell Time.”

Now about pennyweight.

Once we determine the percentage of alloy and authenticity of a precious metal, we can then find the current market value after using a scale that measures in pennyweight. One pennyweight equates approximately 1.555 grams. It is a common weight used amongst jewelers in the valuation and measurement of precious metals. It’s abbreviation is usually dwt. On a daily basis we are familiar with the market value of metals and gems. Jewelry is put in our showcases priced accordingly, with only a small percentage more to cover our expenses.

The good news is, at Queen of PAWNS, you can have the designer jewelry without the designer price tag! Keep this in mind as you shop for your Valentine these next few days. Get the “Wow!” without making your wallet say, “Ow!”

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

3380 south military trail

Lake Worth, Florida 33463

561-434-4858

1180 South Military Trail

West Palm Beach, Florida 33415

561-343-4149

6080 Okeechobee Blvd.

West Palm Beach, Florida 33417

561-656-4149

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

5831 South Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando, Fl 32839

407-722-8811

1700 West Vine Street

Kissimmee, FL 34741

407-201-3930

All Our Stores are Open:
Monday - Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Keep the Party Going!

The winter holiday parties are past us and that sometimes leaves us wanting more. What do we have to look forward to? Queen of PAWNS has an answer and that would be VALENTINE’S DAY! Keep the party going with a fun Valentine’s Day bash. There’s just enough time before the holiday for you to plan something spectacular. We’ve got a few ideas for a successful event...

• Create a themed party, for example: Awkward Prom Night - invite your guests to wear their worst bridesmaid dresses or tackiest formal wear they can find at a thrift store. Or, have everyone dress as a character from a favorite movie such as the Wizard of Oz, Indiana Jones or James Bond. Then, have a related movie playing in the background with the sound turned off. Browse through our movie collections at the Queen of Pawns nearest you for ideas and inspiration.
• Set the ambiance with white, red and pink string lights. Fill martini glasses with red, white and pink jelly beans. Sprinkle rose petals. Grab a friend who is talented with the camera and set up a photo booth, but call it the “kissing booth.” Need a tripod for your photo booth? Give us a call, we probably have a few in our inventory.
• One word: Karaoke! Pick up a karaoke machine at Queen of Pawns and clear a “stage” area in the corner of your living room. Be prepared to break the ice and step up as the first performer in case everyone else starts off shy.
• For parts of the evening when karaoke isn’t king, be sure to have your playlist loaded and ready. Boost your sound system with stereos, speakers and iPods from Queen of Pawns.
• Have a sundae ice cream building station, complete with bananas, candy sprinkles, nuts, cherries and home made whip cream.
• Have a bowl of plastic “bling” waiting right by a mirror. This sort of thing can be picked up at any party superstore, and sometimes even at dollar stores. If you can’t find adult sized plastic bling, gather costume jewelry from friends and thrift stores beforehand. But for the real thing, come to Queen of Pawns and we’ll help you pick out something unforgettable for the one you love.

If you are waiting for the right time to give a special gift to your special someone, this might be the perfect opportunity. Show them and everyone at the party how much you care with something luxurious from Queen of Pawns. Now is a good time to start your shopping and just a reminder, if you need a layaway option, we got you covered. Let us know how we can help make this Valentine’s Day the best one ever.

Recently, some of our customers showed how much they care by donating new, unwrapped toys to the “Toys For All,” toy drive that we participated in with Azteca Americana 43. With our customers’ help, the toy drive collected over 1300 toys! On Saturday, January 11^th, those toys were distributed at a community celebration in Clewiston. The smiles shined like beacons as children opened their gifts. It was a fantastic event, complete with food, activities and live music performances. Everyone loves a good party, Queen of PAWNS extends a very heart felt thank to those who helped make the “Toys For All,” toy drive and the community party such a success.

What a fun day!
Here, party goers lined up at the QoP tent for free hot dogs.

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

3380 south military trail

Lake Worth, Florida 33463

561-434-4858

1180 South Military Trail

West Palm Beach, Florida 33415

561-343-4149

6080 Okeechobee Blvd.

West Palm Beach, Florida 33417

561-656-4149

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

5831 South Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando, Fl 32839

407-722-8811

1700 West Vine Street

Kissimmee, FL 34741

407-201-3930

All Our Stores are Open:

Monday - Saturday 9am - 7 pm

Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Snow-Free and Festive

Who says you need snow for it to feel like the holidays? Create your own merry and bright by filling your front yard with holiday cheer. No, not string lights, although great, but we’ve got a different idea. Show the world your festive spirit with DIY wooden holiday lawn ornaments! Queen of PAWNS is here to tell you how. 

From playful to devotional, lawn ornaments can vary in size, but often are at least 3 feet tall. If you are a condo dweller, you can do smaller figures for your porch or balcony. There is also the option of creating wooden cut-out wreaths or other hanging decorations of all sorts for your front door. You don’t need years of experience as a wood worker to make these decorations from paint and plywood. What you do need however is, the inspiration to take on a festive project and the tools to make it happen. 

If you like to draw and have a basic engineering mind, you might want to tackle the design part of this process all by yourself. If you need patterns that have already been drawn out, accompanied by instructions for construction, they can be purchased in any woodworking specialty store on online. There are also several free options online for instructions and/or patterns. Here’s some ideas to get your creative juices flowing...

For projects that instruct without providing downloadable patterns, check out HGTV’s links for Lawn Reindeer and Rustic Nail-Head Christmas Trees.

If you are not comfortable drawing outlines for shapes yourself, find a picture of an image that you like, such as a Santa, angel, tree...anything, make an enlarged copy of it to any size you want your final piece to stand. Then, cut out the shapes and lay them on top of your plywood. Trace around the shapes with a pencil. Here is a link to a free pattern, complete with instructions of another reindeer - free reindeer pattern.

However you approach the pattern part of your lawn ornament project, once the design is drawn, you will need to cut the wood. Mostly what we have suggested so far would require 3/4” plywood. You can use whatever wood suits the size of your final figure best.  For delicate and smaller designs, 1/4” wood is more appropriate. To cut your wood, of course, will require a saw. For curves and smooth turns, you need to use a band saw, jig saw or scroll saw. Below is a brief description for each of those.

Bandsaws are good for smaller sizes of wood, so they wouldn’t work well on uncut plywood or kitchen counters. They cut smooth and quick with interchangeable blades that allow for different curvature. Wider blades are better for straight cuts. 

With jigsaws, you bring the tool to the work. They can be used to make straight or curved cuts. If making straight cuts, you may want to use a metal straight-edge or guide. 

Scroll saws are kind of like a very light duty bandsaw-jigsaw hybrid used to make intricate cuts. Its use is limited to thinner materials. Blades can be changed on scroll saws to work on metal, wood or plastic. 

Of course, all of these saws as well as other tools such as sanders and drills can be found at Queen of PAWNS*.

Finally, to show off your lawn figures at night - highlight them with outdoor grade spot lights or string lights.

Enjoy the creative process and let your merry shine bright!

*When looking for something specific, call the Queen of PAWNS nearest you to check inventory.


Queen of Pawns - South Florida
3380 south military trail
Lake Worth, Florida 33463
561-434-4858

1180 South Military Trail
West Palm Beach, Florida 33415
561-343-4149

6080 Okeechobee Blvd.
West Palm Beach, Florida 33417
561-656-4149

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida
5831 South Orange Blossom Trail
Orlando, Fl 32839
407-722-8811

1700 West Vine Street
Kissimmee, FL 34741
407-201-3930

All Our Stores are Open:
Monday - Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

A Day Like No Other

It’s not a national holiday, but some people plan for it all year. It’s a day not for the timid or weak, complete with a thrill of the hunt, racing hearts and sweating palms. While the rest of the world sleeps off their over indulgence of a Thanksgiving feast, those of us committed to beating full retail prices are out celebrating BLACK FRIDAY! And Queen of PAWNS is no exception. We will be opening the doors to all our locations at 5 am, November 29^th and we will remain open until 7 pm. Bring your gift list with you and get ready for some serious savings. Everything in the store will be marked 50% off regular price! No other day of the year will bring you more possibilities to purchase top quality items at such rock bottom prices. 

The day after Thanksgiving our friendly staff will be waiting for you to assist with your holiday shopping. Over the past year, our blog has provided several “cheat sheets,” to help you be better equipped and a more informed shopper for those higher ticket items. To make things a little easier we are including some useful links to these past entries.

If you are considering purchasing a television, be sure to read this first: SUPERBOWL XLVII - Kudos to the Host City, New Orleans!

This entry about watches and how they work will be helpful if you are considering any kind of watch: How Watches Tell Time.

Don’t even think about blindly shopping for gold. Before purchasing this precious metal for your precious someone, be sure to read our two part series: Don’t Be Fooled, Know Your Gold, Part I & Part II

Not all home video game consoles are created equally. In case you missed it, last month was dedicated to home gaming systems: Which Home Console Suits You Best.

Shopping help for home video games are found here: Simplify Your Search for the Perfect Home Video Game.

Of course, our staff is well informed and very helpful, so it is not necessary for you to be an expert in anything before making a wise purchase at QoP. We generated this list of useful links because want you to feel confident and empowered in your gift giving this season; we also know that there are certain types of shoppers who won’t even buy a toothbrush without doing extensive research. (We promise, we won’t mention any names!)

Come on by our biggest and most grand sales event of the entire year. How many ways can we say, “HUGE SAVINGS!”? Before you go anywhere else, shop at Queen of PAWNS for our BLACK FRIDAY Sales Event. Be the smartest gift giver amongst your friends and family. But before that, have a beautiful and abundant Happy Thanksgiving!

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

3380 south military trail

Lake Worth, Florida 33463

561-434-4858

1180 South Military Trail

West Palm Beach, Florida 33415

561-343-4149

6080 Okeechobee Blvd.

West Palm Beach, Florida 33417

561-656-4149

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

5831 South Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando, Fl 32839

407-722-8811

1700 West Vine Street

Kissimmee, FL 34741

407-201-3930

All Our Stores are Open:

Monday - Saturday 9am - 7pm

Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Royal Layaway Until Christmas

Santa’s elves got nothing on us. Queen of PAWNS spins our own Christmas magic months before the holidays are on most people’s minds. Our workshops are always open and stocked with fantastic gifts for all boys and girls, young and old alike. Yes, QoP realizes that the Turkey hasn’t even landed and we’re already talking about Christmas, but we have an important message that is becoming more and more time sensitive with each passing day.

The holidays can be a very stressful time for many of us. Work often becomes more hectic, holiday parties and family gatherings can be demanding - and then there’s the gift list. With the average household budget getting tighter and tighter, it can be quite a challenge to reward every good boy and girl on your list with gifts worthy of their packaging. We at Queen of PAWNS cannot control most of these stress factors, but what we can do is help you budget for beautiful gifts that will dazzle and show just how much you care about your family and friends.

Aside from huge savings daily on top shelf items, we also offer a free layaway plan especially designed for Christmas to help you prepare up to SIX MONTHS in advance for your holiday gift giving. If you find that perfect item, but don’t have enough cash that day to purchase, it can still be yours to give! All you need to do is once you picked out your item, put down a 10% deposit* of the current price and before you know it, your item is paid off! (Layaway policy listed below.) Of course, at this point, the holidays are less than 60 days away, that is why we are in your ear NOW.  

Another great opportunity to take advantage of even steeper discounts will be our Black Friday sales event, of course the day after Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for more details!

*LAYAWAY POLICY:

Deposits are non-refundable.

10% minimum deposit at time of purchase.

Layaways must be paid off and picked up no more than 60 days after date of initial deposit. 

Layaway terms are extendable only in writing.

Once a layaway term expires, deposit will be forfeited and items will be put back on sales floor.

There are no extra layaway or service charges.

Layaways are non-cancelable and non-refundable.

Layaway articles are removed from the sales floor.

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

3380 south military trail

Lake Worth, Florida 33463

561-434-4858

1180 South Military Trail

West Palm Beach, Florida 33415

561-343-4149

6080 Okeechobee Blvd.

West Palm Beach, Florida 33417

561-656-4149

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

5831 South Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando, Fl 32839

407-722-8811

1700 West Vine Street

Kissimmee, FL 34741

407-201-3930

All Our Stores are Open:
Monday - Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM