Loombard: They wanted to talk me into buying this African "god" for 50 Zloty, but I totally know they sell these ridiculous statues for 30 Zloty in the department store next door. On the first floor actually. Sometimes people try to sell you the weirdest crap. What about stuff that’s OK?
That’s mostly gold and a lot of cell phones, because everybody’s got one. Some people also hock cars, power tools, and apartments. Everything. So what’s the process like, if people drop off their stuff?
They bring it in, I assess, and then I pass out one third up to one half of the value. So what makes the difference between getting a third or a half? If you like their face?
Well, TVs and laptops, for example, depreciate insanely fast. It’s enough if one of the big electronic chain stores like Mediamarkt busts out a ridiculous discount and we’re knocked out of business for a certain item. That’s why we don’t like accepting these kinds of things. What do people think of pawnbrokers?
Most people still have this old picture from the 90s in their minds, where it was all about the interest of guys with BMWs. But it’s a totally different business today. What happens to the stuff no one picks up?
When it’s gold, we give it to a jeweler and have him make new stuff. Do people sometimes try to play you and fob you off with some cheap bling jewelry?
If someone tries to sell me something without a certificate, that’s pretty much worthless for me. I don’t have the testing equipment, so anybody could tell me anything they want if I were to accept uncertified stuff. Do you have any idea about the volume you guys make in all your branches allover Poland?
I can’t really tell, I’m just a small employee. You have to ask the management about this kind of information. Our headquarteres are located near the main train station, where there’s one pawnshop next to the other. It’s like the Las Vegas of pawnshops. Any sad stories?
Constantly. There’s old ladies coming in who can’t afford their medicine and have to trade in old family jewelry for money to buy drugs. Then they can’t afford to buy the things back. Don't you think that’s a bit sketchy karma-wise?
Our company makes sure to donate to charity, but we still can’t afford to act as benefactors for individual customers, you know? But don’t you feel bad about all this misery you’re feasting on?
I got used to it. In the beginning it used to really get to me, when an old lady or elderly guy came in and cried because he was so sick. It’s sad, but that’s what things are like in our country. Did that influence your work back in the beginning?
Yeah, I used to be way too soft on people and give them too much. A lot of them took advantage of this because I even gave my own money or food to them. Some of them still keep coming back because of what I gave to them once. So all of your customers take advantage of you?
No, there are also customers I can totally give the triple value to because I know they’re reliable, but there's only a handful of these. You know there’s still some honest people out there. What about the financial crisis? Did it improve your business?
Yeah, it made a tremendous impact. Our revenues went up by like 30% since the onset of the crisis. The crisis is definitely a plus. Our business has soared within the last two months. What about the times before the crisis started messing with all of us? Were there any high times during the year, where people hocked more stuff?
Easter and Christmas for sure. It’s literally like people raid their whole houses and drop of the contents at our place. They want to enjoy the holidays with their loved ones and then many of them keep renewing the contract and finally start to struggle with buying back their belongings. Just one more thing. Don’t you think it’s kind of scary hanging out with all this money and gold on your own all day?
Things are becoming more and more dangerous for sure. Five of my colleagues were mugged lately. Some guys walked in with hammers, banged away at the displays and took all gold they could lay their hands on. It went so fast, there’s no way the police could have possibly done anything to stop them. Twenty seconds, in and out. That’s why we want to upgrade soon, I definitely want some bullet-proof glass in here. Good luck, I hope your boss will get you some of that as soon as possible. BARBARA DABROWSKA
