FirstCash is the leading international operator of pawn stores with 3,300+ locations across 29 U.S. states, the UK, and Latin America, offering pawn loans, retail sales, and gold buying services.
Data compiled from public sources · Google rating shown when a stored review count is available
FirstCash, Inc. is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas and operates as the leading international pawn store operator with over 3,300 retail locations spanning 29 U.S. states, Washington D.C., the United Kingdom, and Latin America (Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, and El Salvador). The company employs approximately 22,000 people and is listed in both the S&P MidCap 400 Index and Russell 2000 Index, indicating its scale and legitimacy as a public company.
FirstCash serves cash and credit-constrained consumers primarily through non-recourse pawn loans secured by pledged personal property. They buy and sell a wide variety of merchandise including jewelry, electronics, tools, appliances, sporting goods, and musical instruments. The company also offers layaway services (10% down payment plans), gold/precious metal buying, and retail sales of secondhand goods. Additionally, FirstCash operates AFF, a subsidiary providing lease-to-own and retail finance payment solutions through over 15,000 merchant partner locations nationwide.
The company's scale and public market status distinguish it from independent pawn shops. FirstCash maintains standardized operations across thousands of locations, offers multiple service channels (in-person, online locator tools, and mobile services), and provides listed service information including pawn FAQs and how-to guides. Their size allows for consistent customer experience and operational standards across disparate geographic markets.
FirstCash represents a mainstream, established option in the pawn industry but carries the inherent limitations of pawn lending: non-recourse loans mean defaulted items are forfeited with no further obligation, interest rates and fees are not disclosed on their website, and the business model depends on asset depreciation and resale margins. Consumers should understand pawn loans as short-term financing secured by personal possessions, not unsecured credit.
This is state-level context for Pawn Shops consumers in Houston, TX. It does not confirm that Westheimer Pawn or this specific location is licensed.
State regulator
Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner
Consumer protection
Short-term lending status: Legal
General rate context: 10% for written contracts (18% default); payday/auto title loans regulated as credit access businesses
Texas allows payday and auto title lending through the Credit Access Business model, which lacks state-level fee caps. Several cities have enacted local ordinances to limit loan amounts and rollovers. Consumers can file complaints with the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner or the Attorney General.
Source: CreditDoc state-law summary and listed public regulator resources. Verify licensing directly with the listed state regulator before relying on a provider.
Westheimer Pawn offers 12 services including Pawn loans secured by personal property (jewelry, electronics, tools, appliances, sporting goods, instruments), Gold, silver, and platinum buying and selling services, Retail sales of secondhand merchandise, Layaway service with 10% down payment option, Store locator tool to find nearby locations, and 7 more.
Westheimer Pawn has profile signals associated with Consumers researching short-term cash access who own valuable collateral (jewelry, electronics, instruments), Individuals seeking short-term loans with eligibility and income-verification claims to verify requirements, People interested in buying secondhand merchandise at discounted prices, Cash-constrained consumers seeking layaway options to purchase items with partial upfront payment.
Key strengths: 3,300+ retail locations across 29 U.S. states, DC, UK, and Latin America for accessibility; Public company (S&P MidCap 400, Russell 2000) providing corporate transparency and investor oversight; Non-recourse loans mean borrowers have no personal liability beyond the pledged item. Areas to consider: Interest rates, fees, and loan terms not disclosed on website—consumers must visit stores for pricing; Non-recourse structure means pledged items are forfeited without debt obligation, incentivizing forfeiture over repayment.
In the Pawn Shops category, comparable providers include First Cash Pawn, GEM Pawnbrokers, SuperPawn. Each company has different strengths, so compare services, pricing, and consumer complaint records before deciding what to do next.
CreditDoc Profile Note
FirstCash is profile signals for cash-constrained consumers with valuable collateral who need immediate short-term financing with eligibility claims to verify. The primary caveat is that pawn loans are not credit-building products, terms and interest rates vary by location, and borrowers should understand they are trading temporary liquidity for their personal possessions with no recourse if unable to repay.
Indianapolis First Cash Pawn at 5620 W Washington provides pawn loans, valuations, and short-term cash access.
Google rating from 398 reviews
Profile signals: Consumers with immediate urgent expense research and no access to traditional bank credit, People seeking to convert unused personal property (jewelry, electronics, instruments) into short-term cash access
GEM Pawnbrokers New York, NY — GEM Pawnbrokers is a 73-year-old family-owned pawnbroking business operating 28 locations across NYC and Greater NY, offe...
Google rating from 5,472 reviews
Profile signals: Individuals researching short-term cash access with eligibility and income-verification claims to verify, People with high-value luxury items, watches, or electronics they're willing to use as collateral
Phoenix, AZ's SuperPawn location at 3501 S Central Ave offers quick collateral loans and short-term cash access for electronics, jewelry, and valuables.
Google rating from 114 reviews
Profile signals: Consumers with urgent expense research and valuable collateral they can temporarily part with, Individuals with poor credit or no credit history who may not meet traditional personal-loan criteria
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