Hardcore Pawn
Encyclopedia
Hardcore Pawn is an American documentary
reality television series produced by RDF USA (later Zodiak USA) and Richard Dominick
Productions for truTV about the day-to-day operations of American Jewelry and Loan, a family-owned pawn shop on Greenfield Road between 8 Mile Road
and the John C. Lodge Freeway
in Detroit, Michigan
.
The series premiered on August 16, 2010, delivering 2 million viewers, setting a new record as truTV's most-watched series premiere ever.
On June 22, 2011, the day after Hardcore Pawn' s fourth season debut, the series was picked up for a fifth season, which debuted November 15.
in Detroit. Les first opened American Jewelry at the Green Eight Shopping Center on 8 Mile Road in Oak Park
in 1978, moving to its present location in 1993. In 2011, American Jewelry expanded to its second location when it acquired Premier Jewelry and Loan in Pontiac
; the new location will be part of Hardcore Pawn beginning in the fifth season.
The shop's general manager is Les' son, Seth, who also handles the shop's marketing (he claims that if it wasn't for him, the shop's only marketing would be "an ad in the Yellow Pages
"). The assistant manager is Les' daughter, Ashley, who, as the series debuted, returned to the shop after taking some time off for maternity leave. The sibling rivalry
between her and Seth is a common element of many episodes.
on History, but in the vein of other truTV programs (Operation Repo
and All Worked Up
for example), the focus is mainly on the human aspects of drama, conflicts, humor and absurdity between the staff members and their customers, rather than the significance of the items being brought into the shop. Both shows also bear pawn-related wordplay
in their titles and, during Hardcore Pawn' s first season, aired simultaneously on Monday at 10 PM ET.
Because of the similarities however, Hardcore Pawn has been accused of being simply a knock-off and a capitalization on the breakout success of Pawn Stars. Les has said that Hardcore Pawn is a more-realistic portrayal of a pawn shop than Pawn Stars: "There will be people from all walks of life laughing, crying and experiencing a wide range of emotions. Every item has a story. And some of these stories are incredible, whether you believe them or not... We're a Detroit-made business that represents what real pawn shops do... [catering to a] wide range of real people who need money." Some scenes featured in Hardcore Pawn have also been speculated to have been staged; however, Les defends the show, saying that no part of the program was staged.
According to Marc Juris, executive vice president and general manager of truTV, "Quite honestly, we did absolutely nothing different than we would have done whether or not the other show was on the air... We look for shows that really hit our sweet spot and when they're right for our audience is when we put them on the air." He also noted that Hardcore Pawn was in development for more than a year and two test episodes aired in December 2009. Regarding the initial identical time slot with Pawn Stars, Juris claimed the choice was because Hardcore Pawn fit well with Operation Repo. When the series' second season debuted in December 2010, the show was moved to Tuesdays at 9PM ET, often as part of an evening marathon that includes repeats of earlier episodes.
Nancy DuBuc, president and general manager of History, said she couldn't speak to whether TruTV's choice is truly a coincidence. "I haven't seen [Hardcore Pawn]... There's no mistaking the power of the show that we've launched."
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
reality television series produced by RDF USA (later Zodiak USA) and Richard Dominick
Richard Dominick
Richard Dominick is the former executive producer of NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution's The Jerry Springer Show for almost 18 years. Dominick also served in the same capacity on The Steve Wilkos Show for its first season, as well as the truTV police series Bait Car...
Productions for truTV about the day-to-day operations of American Jewelry and Loan, a family-owned pawn shop on Greenfield Road between 8 Mile Road
M-102 (Michigan highway)
M-102 is a state trunkline in the US state of Michigan, running along the northern boundary of Detroit. It is known as 8 Mile Road for most of its length. As part of the land surveying of the state, the road follows the Michigan Baseline, and it is called Base Line Road in places. M-102 is the...
and the John C. Lodge Freeway
M-10 (Michigan highway)
M-10, is a state trunkline route in the US state of Michigan. The southernmost portion follows Jefferson Avenue in downtown Detroit, and the southern terminus is at the intersection of Jefferson and Randolph Street leading to the entrance to the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
.
The series premiered on August 16, 2010, delivering 2 million viewers, setting a new record as truTV's most-watched series premiere ever.
On June 22, 2011, the day after Hardcore Pawn
Overview
American Jewelry is owned by Les Gold, a 60-year-old man who is the son of a pawnbroker who once owned Sam's Loans, a now-defunct pawnshop on Michigan AvenueU.S. Route 12 in Michigan
US Highway 12 is a US Highway that runs from Aberdeen, Washington to Detroit, Michigan. In the US state of Michigan it runs for . Previous to the creation of Interstate Highways in Michigan, US 12 ran along Michigan Avenue between Kalamazoo and Detroit, a highway corridor now served by I-94...
in Detroit. Les first opened American Jewelry at the Green Eight Shopping Center on 8 Mile Road in Oak Park
Oak Park, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,793 people, 11,104 households, and 7,595 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,863.8 persons per square mile . There were 11,370 housing units at an average density of 2,263.9 per square mile...
in 1978, moving to its present location in 1993. In 2011, American Jewelry expanded to its second location when it acquired Premier Jewelry and Loan in Pontiac
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
; the new location will be part of Hardcore Pawn beginning in the fifth season.
The shop's general manager is Les' son, Seth, who also handles the shop's marketing (he claims that if it wasn't for him, the shop's only marketing would be "an ad in the Yellow Pages
Yellow Pages
Yellow Pages refers to a telephone directory of businesses, organized by category, rather than alphabetically by business name and in which advertising is sold. As the name suggests, such directories were originally printed on yellow paper, as opposed to white pages for non-commercial listings...
"). The assistant manager is Les' daughter, Ashley, who, as the series debuted, returned to the shop after taking some time off for maternity leave. The sibling rivalry
Sibling rivalry
Sibling rivalry is a type of competition or animosity among children, blood-related or not.Siblings generally spend more time together during childhood than they do with parents. The sibling bond is often complicated and is influenced by factors such as parental treatment, birth order, personality,...
between her and Seth is a common element of many episodes.
Reception
The show has been largely compared to Pawn StarsPawn Stars
Pawn Stars is an American reality television series on the History Channel, produced in Manhattan by Leftfield Pictures. The series is filmed in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it chronicles the daily activities at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, a 24-hour family business operated by patriarch Richard...
on History, but in the vein of other truTV programs (Operation Repo
Operation Repo
Operation Repo is an American television program that depicts the world of car repossession with a team that portrays fictionalized tales of repossessions from California's San Fernando Valley. Similar to another truTV show, Southern Fried Stings, the series is filmed in a cinema verité style but...
and All Worked Up
All Worked Up (TV series)
All Worked Up is an American television series that premiered on the truTV Network on October 19, 2009. The show goes on the job with reposession agents , a process server , code enforcement agent , parking enforcement agent , bail bondsman , security guard and...
for example), the focus is mainly on the human aspects of drama, conflicts, humor and absurdity between the staff members and their customers, rather than the significance of the items being brought into the shop. Both shows also bear pawn-related wordplay
Wordplay
Wordplay is a musician/actor, of mixed British and Black African descent. Gaining worldwide exposure as an actor in 1998 through the Austrian Obscuro Gothic science fiction film "Dandy dust" directed by Hans Schierl...
in their titles and, during Hardcore Pawn
Because of the similarities however, Hardcore Pawn has been accused of being simply a knock-off and a capitalization on the breakout success of Pawn Stars. Les has said that Hardcore Pawn is a more-realistic portrayal of a pawn shop than Pawn Stars: "There will be people from all walks of life laughing, crying and experiencing a wide range of emotions. Every item has a story. And some of these stories are incredible, whether you believe them or not... We're a Detroit-made business that represents what real pawn shops do... [catering to a] wide range of real people who need money." Some scenes featured in Hardcore Pawn have also been speculated to have been staged; however, Les defends the show, saying that no part of the program was staged.
According to Marc Juris, executive vice president and general manager of truTV, "Quite honestly, we did absolutely nothing different than we would have done whether or not the other show was on the air... We look for shows that really hit our sweet spot and when they're right for our audience is when we put them on the air." He also noted that Hardcore Pawn was in development for more than a year and two test episodes aired in December 2009. Regarding the initial identical time slot with Pawn Stars, Juris claimed the choice was because Hardcore Pawn fit well with Operation Repo. When the series' second season debuted in December 2010, the show was moved to Tuesdays at 9PM ET, often as part of an evening marathon that includes repeats of earlier episodes.
Nancy DuBuc, president and general manager of History, said she couldn't speak to whether TruTV's choice is truly a coincidence. "I haven't seen [Hardcore Pawn]... There's no mistaking the power of the show that we've launched."