National Pawn in Concord, NC

FirstCash, Inc. is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas and operates as the largest international pawn shop chain. The company was founded to serve cash and credit-constrained consumers who need immediate liquidity without traditional credit requirements. FirstCash has grown to operate more than 3,300 retail pawn locations across 29 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, the United Kingdom, and Latin America (Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, and El Salvador), employing approximately 22,000 people globally.

The company's core business model centers on pawn loans—non-recourse loans secured by pledged personal property—alongside retail buying and selling of merchandise. FirstCash purchases and sells jewelry, electronics, tools, appliances, sporting goods, musical instruments, and other merchandise for cash. They also operate additional services including gold and precious metals buying, layaway plans (with 10% down payment), and through their subsidiary AFF, lease-to-own and retail finance payment solutions via 15,000+ merchant partner locations.

FirstCash distinguishes itself through its massive geographic footprint and scale as the market leader in pawn lending. The company is publicly traded and indexed in both the S&P MidCap 400 and Russell 2000, indicating institutional-grade operations and transparency. Their "store locator" and "inventory" features suggest technology-enabled operations beyond typical pawn shops, and they actively promote gold buying and layaway services as customer value-adds.

For consumers, FirstCash provides immediate cash access without credit checks, making it viable for those with poor credit or no credit history. However, pawn loans inherently carry the risk of losing pledged items if not repaid, and retail markups on merchandise can be substantial. The company's size and structure make it a reliable alternative to independent pawn shops, though terms and interest rates should be compared carefully before pledging valuables.