People ask us constantly, every single day, how real our show actually is. They’re curious, and we totally get it. There’s a lot of scripted reality TV out there, so it makes sense people wonder if we’re the real deal. Our show is filmed at American Jewelry and Loan, our actual store, where we’re open from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM, six days a week. When we say we’re 100% real, we mean it. The business operates just as you see it, and the daily life of the store plays out in front of the cameras.
We’re not actors; we’re real people who happen to work in a pawn shop. We genuinely deal with customers, evaluate items, and handle transactions – just like you see on the show. Sure, I have some acting skills – that comes with the territory of being a salesperson – but that doesn’t mean we’re acting out scenes or rehearsing lines. When people ask if I’m playing a role, I laugh because being a pawn broker requires a bit of theater, but it’s all authentic. Every day, we bring our personalities and experience to the table to handle a range of situations, from high-stakes buys to negotiations with customers.
One element that differs slightly from real life is my outfit. You’ll see me in a white sweater and brown jacket on the show, but that’s mostly for continuity – it helps viewers recognize me and keeps things visually consistent from episode to episode. In real life, I don’t wear that specific combo every single day! However, if it helps people remember me and feel like they know me, I’m all for it.
The cameras really are rolling from 9:30 in the morning until we close at 6:00 PM. They capture our day as it unfolds, so it’s not like there’s a “show version” and a “real version” of what happens here. The show presents what actually goes down on a typical day in the store. Customers know they’re on camera, so sometimes they might be on their best behavior – who wouldn’t be? But what you see on Wednesday nights is a pretty accurate portrayal of what happens during business hours.
We get a lot of questions about the jewelry, too. People want to know if they can buy the pieces they see on the show, even if they don’t live in Michigan. The answer is yes! We have a website, Pawn.com, where you can browse and buy jewelry, so even if you’re not local, you can still find that perfect item you spotted on the show.
And yes, people sometimes spot me in public and ask if they can buy my earrings or other jewelry I’m wearing! It’s funny, but I get it – people want to take home a piece of the show. We love our fans, and we’re happy to bring a bit of our world to them, even if it means selling a personal item off my ear from time to time.
Working at American Jewelry and Loan is as dynamic and challenging as it looks on TV. The reality of pawn broking is dealing with the unknown every day. People bring in all sorts of items, from valuable antiques to quirky collectibles, and we never know what’s going to walk through that door. That unpredictability is part of what makes this job so interesting, and it’s a huge part of why the show resonates with so many viewers.
We’re also lucky to have built a fan base that’s genuinely interested in what we do. People are always asking us about our most memorable moments, or what the strangest item we’ve ever seen is. We love that people are invested in our story and in the stories of our customers. It’s like a family here, both with our colleagues and with the people who come in day after day.
At the end of the day, what you see is what you get. We’re proud to represent our business and our lives as they really are. This job isn’t easy, but it’s rewarding, and we’re grateful that people are interested in seeing it all unfold on screen. We’re just regular people, working hard to keep a business running and to make every transaction count.
So, the next time you watch us on TV, know that what you’re seeing is 100% real. We’re not playing parts; we’re just people doing our jobs, and we’re thrilled that we get to share our journey with so many viewers. Thank you for watching and for sharing in the highs and lows of our business!
