How could one small pawn shop make such a giant impact on Las Vegas?
Easy answer: Become a smash-hit reality TV show. The rest is history.
That shop is Gold & Silver Pawn Shop and the show is “Pawn Stars.”
Las Vegas has never been the same after “Pawn Stars” debuted in July 2009 on the History network during the Great Recession. For now, fresh episodes are airing on History, and reruns can be seen over local TV channels. Even a podcast called “Pawn After Dark” was recently launched.
The show follows the exploits of Rick Harrison and his family (don’t forget about Chumlee) at the downtown shop, found at 713 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Besides making cable TV history, the show has made an indelible impact on valley businesses.
Two of them, Count’s Kustoms and Rick’s Restorations, had their own successful History shows with their likeable hosts, Danny Koker and Rick Dale.
But there have been plenty of other local businesses that have been featured on “Pawn Stars.”
Here’s a partial list of brick-and-mortar establishments identified on the show, some of which are no longer in business.
RICK’S RESTORATIONS
Show: “American Restoration” (2010-2016)
Former location: 800 W. Mesquite Ave., Las Vegas
Expert: Rick Dale
Note: The show’s original name was “Rusty Nuts.”
———
COUNT’S KUSTOMS
Show: “Counting Cars” (2012-2021)
Location: 2714 S. Highland Drive, Las Vegas
Expert: Danny Koker
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BOB YUHAS RESTORATIONS
Location: 3405 N. Rancho Drive, Las Vegas
Expert: Bob Yuhas
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ART ENCOUNTER
Location: 5720 S. Arville St. #119, Las Vegas
Expert: Brett Maly
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TOY SHACK
Location: Neonopolis, 450 Fremont St., Las Vegas
Expert: Johnny Jimenez
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ROGUE TOYS
Locations: Three in Las Vegas
Expert: Steve Johnson
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BAUMAN’S RARE BOOKS
Location: Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian on the Strip
Expert: Rebecca Romney
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ULTIMATE SPORTS CARDS & MEMORABILIA
Location: Neonopolis, 450 Fremont St., Las Vegas
Expert: Jeremy Brown
Note: Because of positive exposure from the show, Brown moved his business to Neonopolis from a store at 3211 N. Tenaya Way in 2012.
———
RUSTY NUTS ROD & CUSTOM
Location: 3290 Pinks Place, Las Vegas
Expert: Wally Korhonen
———
FREED’S BAKERY
Location: 9815 S. Eastern Ave., Las Vegas
———
POP’S PHILLY STEAKS
Location: 501 S. Decatur, Las Vegas
———
MEAD’S HARDWARE
Location: 4438 E. Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas
———
PRO GUN VEGAS
Location: 12801 Old U.S. Highway 95, Boulder City
———
CLARK COUNTY SHOOTING COMPLEX
Location: 11357 N. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas
Note: “Pawn Stars” cast members have made several visits to this county-run facility.
———
CLARK COUNTY MUSEUM
Location: 1830 S. Boulder Highway, Henderson
Expert: Mark Hall-Patton (now retired)
———
ATOMIC MUSEUM
Location: 755 E. Flamingo Road
———
ROCK N ROLL FANTASY CAMP
Location: 3485 W. Harmon Ave. Suite 100, Las Vegas
———
MARY’S HASH HOUSE
Location: 2605 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas
———
PIONEER SALOON
Location: 310 Route 161, Goodsprings, Nevada (about 40 miles south of Las Vegas)
———
ATOMIC LIQUORS
Location: 917 E. Fremont St., Las Vegas
———
HI-ROLLERS BARBERSHOP
Location: 5435 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas
Note: Richard “The Old Man” Harrison, who died in 2018, was a frequent visitor. He and grandson Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison got haircuts at the shop in a memorable 2013 episode.
———
COUNT’S VAMP’D ROCK BAR & GRILL
Location: 6750 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas
———
CHUMLEE’S CANDY ON THE BOULEVARD
Location: 725 S. Las Vegas Blvd. (Pawn Plaza)
Owner: Austin “Chumlee” Russell
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RICK’S ROLLIN SMOKE BBQ
Location: 725 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Suites 110 & 210, Las Vegas (Pawn Plaza)
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COWTOWN GUITARS (closed)
Location: 331 S. Commerce St., Las Vegas
Expert: Jesse Amoroso
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PACIFIC ARCHERY (closed)
Location: 4084 Schiff Drive, Las Vegas
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PIKE’S PASS MINIATURE GOLF (closed)
Location: Circus Circus
— — —
Other business influences
The success of “Pawn Stars” has been felt around the valley. Here are some examples:
— Pawn Plaza, a two-story Container Park-inspired restaurant and retail shopping center planned by Rick Harrison, opened in October 2015. The shopping/restaurant complex, which looks like the world’s largest Rubik’s Cube, sits next to the famous pawn shop in downtown.
— Rick Harrison opened his Rick Harrison Collection, a high-end gallery and boutique at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, in September 2019. But the store closed after the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in 2020.
— “Pawn Shop Live,” a sketch-comedy play, had a very short life at the Riviera in 2014. It had originated at downtown’s Golden Nugget. A Review-Journal columnist called it “one of the most bizarre sagas of Las Vegas entertainment in a long time.”
— The short-lived trivia show “Pawnography” was filmed at Las Vegas Production Studios, 4290 Las Vegas Studio Court, in 2014. The History show featured Rick Harrison, Corey Harrison and Austin “Chumlee” Russell competing against viewers in a three-round trivia competition.
— The Beauty Bar, a tavern on Fremont East in downtown, was co-owned by Corey Harrison. The bar had been owned by Roxie Amoroso, the ex-wife of Jesse Amoroso of Cowtown Guitars. The establishment is now called Cheapshot.
— Also, Koker of “Counting Cars” fame owns at least two other businesses besides Kustoms and Vamp’d: Count’s Tattoo Company (3700 W. Flamingo, inside the Rio resort) and recording studio Desert Moon (2716 S. Highland Drive.)
Contact Mark Davis at mdavis@reviewjournal.com.
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