American Jewelry and Loan was established in 1978 and has grown into one of the largest and most recognizable pawn shops in the world. The company operates four locations across Michigan: Detroit (flagship), Hazel Park, Pontiac, and Southgate. The Detroit flagship location gained significant national visibility as the setting for the reality television show "Hardcore Pawn," which featured the business and its owners Les and Seth Gold. Despite the media attention, the company remains a dedicated full-service pawn shop.
The company offers three primary services: pawn loans (collateral-based loans on jewelry, electronics, tools, and other items), retail purchases (buying inventory including GIA Certified diamonds, luxury handbags, fine jewelry, timepieces, electronics, and equipment), and selling services (allowing customers to sell valuables for fair market value). All services are available at their four Michigan locations during business hours (Monday-Saturday, 9:30am-6:00pm, closed Sundays).
American Jewelry and Loan distinguishes itself through its 45+ year operating history, multi-location presence across Michigan, and notable brand recognition from the "Hardcore Pawn" television series. The company actively engages in community presence through social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and maintains a newsletter signup for customer engagement. They accept appointments for services and provide multilingual website support (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian).
As a pawn shop, American Jewelry and Loan serves customers seeking quick collateral-based loans without credit checks. The primary caveat is that pawn loans typically carry higher interest rates than traditional personal loans, and customers risk losing their pawned items if loans are not repaid. Customers should understand the terms and redemption periods before pledging valuable items.