Big C Jewelry & Loan is a family-owned and operated pawn shop founded in January 2004 in Inglewood, California. The business was started from scratch by family members with extensive background and experience in the pawn and jewelry industry, growing from zero customers to thousands over two decades of operation.
The company offers three primary services: buying jewelry (both authentic and scrap gold), trading jewelry for store credit or cash, and providing short-term collateral-based loans. For loans, customers bring in jewelry or gold and receive cash based on the item's wholesale value. Loans carry a four-month term with the option to redeem items at any time or pay interest by the due date. The shop also maintains a retail inventory of men's and women's jewelry sourced from acquisitions, offering pieces at wholesale prices rather than retail markups.
Big C differentiates itself through competitive wholesale pricing on both loans and retail inventory, which they attribute to their ability to source inventory directly. Customer testimonials highlight knowledgeable staff (specifically mentioning employees named Cory, Heath, and Mark), fair valuations, authentication services, and a clean, welcoming environment with free parking. The business responds to inquiries via Facebook and phone, and staff are described as patient and accommodating.
The primary limitation is the geographic constraint—the business operates only at a single Inglewood location with limited hours (Monday-Saturday, 9:30am-5pm). The four-month loan term is relatively short for collateral-based lending, and borrowers must either redeem items or pay interest within that window. As with all pawn transactions, borrowers receive less than retail value, though the rates appear competitive within the pawn industry.