PAWN SHOPS: HOLIDAY BRINGS SALES, LOANS

David Creech tapped a pencil as he spoke to a potential pawn customer.

"No, lawn mowers are seasonal," he said. "Sure, we take televisions. Nineteen inch? Does it have a remote?"

And so went business Monday at Audio 1-Plaza Pawn, 2100 William.

Creech is the stereo department manager there, but works with customers who want to trade their valuables for 30-day loans. They bring in microwaves, televisions, jewelry, cameras -- anything of value.

Just like any other business, pawn shops get busier around the holidays. But unlike the others, about half of their business is giving money away.

Creech attributed the increase in traffic at his shop to a wide range of products and word-of-mouth advertising. Whatever the reason, this year's after-Thanksgiving weekend was one of the busiest ever at Plaza Pawn.

"You could barely move around in here," said Irene Spinner, store manager. "We already hired two more people for this season."

The buying begins earlier than the pawning, but Spinner said she expected to see an increase in loans, too. With presents to buy and bills to pay, money doesn't last during the holidays.

Rena Pender, a regular customer at Plaza, was in Monday to reclaim a diamond ring she pawned. She said she would be back another day to get money for Christmas presents, which she might buy right in the store.

Pender flashed eight fingers covered in rings.

"These are my security," she said. "I'm in here every couple of months for loans until payday."

Pawn shops attract customers like Pender because of quick cash that is especially valuable at Christmastime. A bank won't make a 30-day, $50 loan, but a pawnshop will. And Spinner said all loans are kept confidential. Some customers even prefer to walk to a back room to get their money.

There is no credit check. The interest rate, which includes a percentage for storage and handling, runs about 20-25 percent for 30 days.

Good bargains also attract customers around the holidays.

"I shop here to save a few pennies," said a customer at Money Time Pawn, 501 Broadway. "It's cheaper than trying to find something at the mall. When times are so hard, people try to find bargains."

In addition to good prices, diversification is the key to successful pawn businesses in Cape Girardeau. They offer everything from Nintendo games to guitars and also a variety of services.

One, Downtown Pawn at 38 N. Spanish, even offers jewelry repair and design. It opened in October, and manager Janetta Sachse-Ervin said she has had gold-covered teeth brought in for redesign. A jeweler merely chips out the tooth and uses the cover.

Customer satisfaction will become more important as additional shops open. Five years ago there were only a few such businesses up and running in Cape Girardeau; the Yellow Pages now list six.

Dan Wilson, manager of Money Time Pawn, said he keeps up with the competition by offering more money for pawned items, although sometimes it means having to sell more of them later.