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

And the Winners Are....

Several days ago Queen of PAWNS announced the winners for our “Treat Your Mother Like a Queen Sweepstakes,” on Facebook. Today, we want to introduce you to these awesome momma’s.

Our South Florida winner, Lydia Hooker will be pampered at Anushka in West Palm Beach with a facial, massage, manicure and pedicure and a professional make-up application. Ms Hooher is a mother to three grown children; one daughter, age 25 and two sons, ages 34 and 28. Her nurturing nature continues in her career as a self employed, private nurse.

Farrah Cabrera is our Central Florida winner. Her day of pampering will be at Mandara Spa with a body polish treatment, massage, manicure and pedicure and a facial. In addition to her work at home and being a mother to her six year old daughter and 12 year old son, Ms Cabrera is an assistant manager at Tommy Hilfiger.

Both Ms Hooker and Ms Cabrera expressed surprise and excitement at the announcement of their winnings. The most rewarding part of all for us at Queen of PAWNS is that this is the first time that both of these hard working, deserving mothers ever had a full day spa treatment. Enjoy, ladies!

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

FISH TALES AND WIND SAILS

It’s beginning to look a lot like fishing. Already, we are upon fishing season in Florida. The days are getting warmer and the ocean is getting calmer. Whether you prefer lakes, swamps or the ocean, Queen of PAWNS is equipped with rods and reels to outfit your fishing adventures. From freshwater bass to big game saltwater, we have the equipment you’ll need to reel in the perfect catch. Besides rods and reels, you will also find trolling motors, outboards and even boats!*

If fishing or motorized craft are not your thing, we also accept kayaks, paddle boards, wake boards, water skis and even scuba gear!* You never know what you’ll find in our treasure trove. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or just starting to experiment with a new hobby, come on by and save a boat load at Queen of PAWNS. 

*When looking for something specific, call the QoP 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 - 7 pm
Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

MAY’S BIRTHSTONE : THE EMERALD

Say, “Happy Birthday,” or “Happy Mother’s Day,” to your May-born special someone with an emerald! These beautiful, green gems are easier to shop for than you may know. The GIA specialist from Queen of PAWNS’ Kissimmee location has 3 main tips for you when looking at jewelry with emeralds. 

1. The first thing we look at when purchasing an emerald is the color; we want it to appear that the color is coming out of the stone. Emeralds vary in shades of green, from medium to dark. The rule is simple - the deeper the color, the more valuable the gem. 
2. Next on the check list for evaluating a stone is the size. Obviously, the larger the emerald with consistent color, the more valuable.
3. While inspecting emeralds, we look for small inclusions which are indicators that the gem is natural stone and not synthetic. The inclusions we look for, however, are not visible to the naked eye. Whereas in other gems, inclusions often diminish the value of the piece, the case is opposite with emeralds. An inclusion is the presence of (natural) material other than the stone itself in the form of gas, liquid or solids. Too large of an inclusion may affect the integrity of the emerald making it too brittle to be used for jewelry. A perfect emerald with no inclusions is extremely rare and would demand a huge price tag.

Other interesting facts include:

• Colombia is the world’s leading location for natural occurring emeralds. Other important deposits can also be found in Brazil, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Madagascar, Nigeria and Tanzania.
• Emerald is a member of the beryl gemstone family and a cousin to March’s birthstone, aquamarine.
• A very high percentage of the world’s emeralds are treated with epoxies or resins to add depth and color. Gems treated with epoxies are undetectable without laboratory equipment. That being said, an all too perfect emerald, without inclusions is most likely not natural.
• Handle these gems with care. Emeralds rate 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale. (For reference, diamonds rate a hardness of 10.) Because of this “softness” emeralds would be best appreciated in pendants or earrings. If worn in a ring, we suggest that the ring is only for special occasions and not daily wear.
• Emeralds do not conform to a crystalline fracture, meaning it does not cut best into faceted shapes like, for example, diamonds. Because of this, emeralds are more likely than other gemstones to be cut into cabochons, rather than faceted shapes. Cabochons, or convex cut and polished gems, protect softer mineral species like emeralds and keep scratches from being less evident. 
• Almost all emeralds have surface breaking fissures, which is basically an inclusion but on the surface. Because of this frailty, most emeralds are treated, called “oiled,” to enhance clarity. 

All gems are closely inspected by Queen of PAWNS’ in-house GIA specialists before we purchase them. We make luxury affordable and emerald shopping easy. 

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