Hurricane Preparedness

If you have been in Florida as long as we have, you know that hurricanes are no joke. Most recent years’ damage from these storms have been delivered by the likes of Katrina, Wilma and Charlie. Does anyone remember that monster Andrew? The creep from 1992? Now that we are in the throws of hurricane season, Queen of PAWNS is here to help you be prepared. Once the news hits that a storm is on the way, it is already a little late to build your hurricane kit. The Queen has made a short list of things to look for at any of her 5 Florida locations that will be very useful, if not necessary for the next time we are issued that dreaded hurricane warning.

Power drill - We have just about any kind of hand drill that you can imagine. These will be much needed before and after with boarding up a house or business.

Table saw - If you haven’t had a chance to get custom shutters for your doors and windows, you can cut plywood to size with one of these babies.

Generator - Run appliances and charge up electronics once the power has gone out with a generator. Don’t forget to get some gasoline ahead of the storm.

Grill - To use when the stove top is not an option (or for the hurricane party). Again, have the appropriate fuel ready.

Bicycles - Skip the several hour wait to get gasoline after the storm and whiz past the gas station on your bicycle! This is a great time to get one if you haven’t already.

Shop Vac - Just in case water does creep in to places where we wish it didn’t.

Chainsaw - Often necessary for clean up in the yard or to get that fallen tree out of a very inconvenient spot.

Electronics - Such as iPods, portable dvd players and phones. Often, cell phone towers work just fine after storms. Stay connected with family and sane with some entertainment (especially for the kids). Don’t forget to also get car chargers as sometimes that is the only place to charge up your devices. Be careful though and don’t drain your car battery!

Surfboards - Not that a hurricane is a good time to take up surfing, nor does the Queen recommend any surfing at that time, but some of the best swells appear on the coast just before a storm. That said, we also occasionally have surfboards in our inventory - in case that’s how you prefer to prepare for the next hurricane.

Be safe, be smart. Prepare ahead of time for the next hurricane and get as much of your kit as possible from 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

407-201-3930

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

The Queen Speaks on Independence

The United States is the only country that celebrates their Independence Day in July, right? Not quite. So does Colombia, Slovakia, Bahamas, Venezuela, Maldives and at least 19 other nations. What does the Queen of PAWNS think of all this declared independence from sovereignty? Here’s what she has to say.... 

“My beloved good people, it has come to my attention that July is a time of radical liberation all around the world. The actual dates of nations coming into their own rule during the summer month of July ranges from as far back as 1776 to the most recent cessation  of South Sudan in 2011. These are indeed exciting times! I would like to take this opportunity to shed light on the matter that some of you, however, are still being unfairly governed even though you live in a country no longer under foreign rule. This is a terrible injustice. I am speaking to the people who operate on the antiquated belief, ‘You get what you pay for,’ as touted by the Kings of Retail. This colloquialism has been used to create misleading rhetoric. It suggests that you must pay top dollar to have quality. Today I cordially announce my domain to be a safe haven for those who seek refuge from paying full retail price on the items that make life fun and beautiful and the tools that make work possible. Today I declare Independence from Full Retail Prices! Thank you and good day.”

Well, there you have it, straight from the Queen. Are you listening, America? It is time to create your own financial freedom and start with your new Independence from Full Retail Prices at the Queen of PAWNS nearest you.

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

Happy INDEPENDENCE!

Even though we celebrate the United States’ Independence on July 4^th every year, it took the Founding Fathers and those who stood by them several years to attain true freedom from Britain’s grip. It wasn’t as simple as signing the Declaration of Independence and then blowing off some fireworks. Rather, it took clarity of vision, commitment, perseverance and a total of eight years (as in The American Revolution) for the United States of America to become it’s own governed country. 

“Why the history lesson?” you ask. Because the Queen, (as in Queen of PAWNS) has a declaration of her own to announce. Queen of PAWNS is starting a new paradigm of financial independence, starting with the LIBERATION FROM PAYING FULL RETAIL PRICES! This might take longer for some of you, and others are ready for the transition. Shake your head free of the thought that everything you purchase must be brand new to be quality. Thinking this way is one more thing that keeps of from finding our own financial independence. Just as Rome and The United States were not built in a day, neither do we expect the new-financial-you to come into full power overnight. But if you’re ready, so is Queen of PAWNS to help you start this new life of liberty and Independence from Full Retail Prices.

Besides our every day low prices, Queen of PAWNS is also hosting huge tent sales events at all five of our locations. On Saturday, July 3^rd, we will be knocking prices out of the ball park. Also under the tents will be food and music. Come on by the Queen of PAWNS nearest you and celebrate the beginning of your Independence from Full Retail Prices.

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

Unusual Finds

Close your eyes. Clear your mind. Now, think of a pawn shop. What is the first thing you think of? Jewelry? Electronics? Maybe even tools? Of course, Queen of PAWNS has all that at fantastic bargain prices, but what about the random and unexpected? Just for fun, we asked a few of our long time employees what were some of the most unusual things they have seen come through our doors. We got a list of colorful responses, a few of which we thought would be fun to share with you.

Back in November of 2009, one of our Queen of PAWNS in West Palm Beach, had a fully loaded motor home/RV that a customer brought to us for collateral. What a beauty it was! This is another success story where the orignal owner came to our store in need of fast cash. They left us the RV, keys and title and we loaned them money. Less than 60 days later, the owner was happily reunited with their home on wheels.

The Queen of PAWNS location on Okeechobee Boulevard recently sold a western horse saddle for $1100. Which would go beautifully with the cowboy boots that was in our Kissimee location January of this year. Cowboys, Samurais and Ninjas all can find their tools with QoP - also at our Okeechobee location we have two sets of Japanese swords. These treasures are priced right and going home with the highest bidder. So if you’re in the market for Japanese swords, come on down and have some fun haggling a price. We love to barter!

On the softer side, we had a portable ice cream maker that sold in November of last year for $150 at our Orlando location. Currently, also at the Orlando store, a customer brought in a 2002 ambulance for a loan. Since this is still someone’s collateral, it is not for sale.  

And finally, topping our list of unusual finds is an underwater hydraulic chainsaw. Did you know there was such a thing? Well, there is, and just in case you need one it is currently at our Kissimmee location priced at $599. That’s a great deal considering this kind of equipment can run between $1500 to over $3000 retail (depending on whether you need a hydraulic chainsaw for wood or masonry).

You don’t need to be a retired Samurai Cowboy building an underwater ice cream stand to have a quirky shopping list. Whether you have unusual collateral, need an unusual item or are looking for an unusual way to spend a Saturday afternoon, visit the Queen of PAWNS nearest you, we just might be the solution for your unconventional needs. 

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

What Does QoP and Dad Have In Common?

We have a great weekend coming up for the Queen of PAWNS located at 1180 South Military Trail. It will be back to back celebration at the company’s headquarters store on June 15^th & 16th. For those of you who need the reminder, Father’s Day is Sunday, June 16^th. The day before that is the Queen of PAWNS Headquarter’s Store’s 11^th anniversary! To celebrate our 11^th year we will be having a tent sale with items reduced 25, 30 and up to 40% off! Come inside, say hi, meet the team and get to know us. While you’re there, cool off and get some shopping done for Dad; from June 11^th through the 16^th, select men’s watches and jewelry will be 40% off. The Father’s Day Sale is company wide, so stop by the Queen of PAWNS nearest you for a great deal on some man-bling for Pops. That’ll show him you learned a thing or two from all his lectures about spending money wisely!

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

What’s So Great About the Outdoors?

Many of us live much of our lives indoors. Ever notice how we tend to run from house to car to office to car and errands? More often than not, we are under some environmentally controlled envelope, “protected” from the elements. Especially with the insane traffic that is almost unavoidable in our region, this sort of living can take it’s toll on us physically and emotionally. Queen of PAWNS would like to bring your attention to life out from under the fluorescent lights and air conditioning vents. June is National Great Outdoors Month and what better place to celebrate than Florida? Besides the obvious water sports, golf and tennis, South and Central Florida has much to offer for fun outdoor activities. For many it comes as a surprise that we also have great hiking and bike trails.

Spanning 1,400 miles from Big Cypress National Preserve, north to Lake Okeechobee, east to West Palm Beach, looping back to Kissimmee and up the state to the panhandle, the Florida Trail is one of eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States. Of course, the trail can be broken down into sections. Whether you have an afternoon or a week, this is a must-see and little known secret of the Sunshine State. For more information go to: Florida Trail.

Even though the sport is called “mountain biking,” South Florida has some amazing off-road bicycle trails that range in difficulty from beginner to downright scary. What we might lack in incline, some of our trails make up for in scenery and technicality. Great spots for the dirt enthusiast include the off-road bike trails of North Miami’s Oleta State Park, Markham Park in Sunrise and Quiet Waters in Deerfield. If casual cruising is more your speed, our top suggestions for paved biking are Sharks Alley at Everglades National Park, Johnathan Dickinson Park just south of Stuart and the West Orange Trail in Orlando/Winter Park. Recently, we came across this fantastic brochure that lists Florida’s top paved and off-road bike trails.

Gear up for an outdoor adventure or find a new-to-you bicycle at one of our 5 locations. Whether you prefer dirt or pavement, Queen of PAWNS has bikes for the entire family; all speeds, all styles. Our bikes are carefully selected with our 8 point inspection, including a test ride to ensure best quality and high ranking fun factor. Boost your mood, celebrate National Great Outdoors Month - get outdoors & feel the breeze on a bike!

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

Rad Grads

Dear Graduating Class of 2013,

We at Queen of PAWNS would like to commend you. Whether you are graduating from high school, college, graduate school or even kindergarten - if you studied day and night or if you just made by on your wits - this rite of passage comes only after commitment, effort and endurance at the least. Some of you may attend commencement and others will forego the formalities of ceremonies. However you approach this transition in your life, don’t forget to acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments.

So what else would a pawn shop have to say to a graduate? We will only talk about what we know. At Queen of PAWNS we know pawn and we have been very fortunate to find success within that industry. Why? Because it is our passion. We are excited by our work and we took our knowledge about pawn to help people. Therefore, our suggestion to you is - do your passion. By doing what we love - collecting and learning about things that interested us from jewelry to tools to electronics and motorized vehicles, accounting, bartering, studying market trends, and genuinely caring about people - all brought us to where we are as a company today. Whether it pays the bills at first or not, doing what brings you joy has its own rewards. The other thing we would like to say to you, Graduate of 2013, is be financially savvy. When you encounter ways to honestly acquire items that you need or want without paying full retail price, do it. You know that saying, “Keeping up with the Jones’?”, well we say, “Be smarter than the Jones’.” Be smart, buy luxury second hand and, if you can at all help it, NEVER pay full retail price. 

This concludes our graduation pep talk. Go out in the world and be great. “You may now move your tassels from right to left.”

With applause,

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

407-201-3930

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