Pawn Stars

Two-year-old Pawngo bills itself as a more upscale pawnshop for the digital age, catering to a new breed of pawn customer -- not desperate, just temporarily cash-strapped. The company wants to dispel the stereotype of sketchy storefronts dealing in fenced goods -- and so far, it has had a fair amount of success.

"Pawn Stars," the History Channel reality series, is television gold. During his lifetime in the business, Rick Harrison -- owner-operator of the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, where the show is set -- has seen it all. Here are four tips that he shared on how to become a world-class pawnbroker.

On WalletPop's Big News Podcast, Jason Cochran and I chatted up Rick Harrison, owner of the Gold and Silver pawn shop in Las Vegas, Nevada and one of the stars of the History Channel's Pawn Stars. Rick told us how his store is doing in the deep recession, tips on how to pawn your stuff, and his...