5 Pawn Shops in Manhattan That Are Worth Checking Out

Everyone has a slightly different reason for wanting to check out a pawn shop. Maybe you are struggling financially and need to pawn something. Or maybe you are in search of a good deal on jewelry, electronics, or something else.

No matter the reason you want to check out a pawn shop, there are dozens of options in Manhattan. But which one should you visit? We’ve rounded up some of the most popular pawn shops in Manhattan. These stores are well-regarded for their customer service, fair offers, and range of items.

1- 24 Hours Pawn Shop

A vote run by Best of New York City in 2021 named 24 Hours Pawn Shop the best pawn shop in Manhattan. You can find this pawn shop on 125th Street in Harlem. As the name implies, it is open 24 hours a day.

This pawn shop is a great choice for antiques, gold, coins, etc. Whether you want to pawn items or explore their offerings for sale, you will be in luck. Some reviewers praise the store for offering the highest prices in town. Others praise the staff for making the process of pawning items easy to understand.

24 Hours Pawn Shop has been in business since 2008, and the business owner has 15 years of experience in the industry. To give you even more confidence in this pawn shop, it has a 4.5/5 rating on Yelp.

2- Gem Pawnbrokers

Gem Pawnbrokers is easily among the top-rated pawn shops in Manhattan. They have a 4.8-star rating on Google with a whopping 456 reviews. The shop is also among the most-established pawnbrokers in the city. It has been in business since 1947 when Martin Kaminsky started it. Over the years, the family-owned and operated pawn shop has grown, and there are now 24 shops.

Gem Pawnbrokers has a business model that appeals to people looking to buy items and those looking to sell or pawn. For example, buyers can take advantage of the layaway program that lets you pay for an item for three to 10 months. Or you can get an instant cash loan for your items. There is also a discount for joining their mailing list. If you visit Gem to buy something, you can rest easy knowing that the staff is highly trained in authenticating items.

3- Lincoln Square Pawnbrokers Inc.

Lincoln Square Pawnbrokers is a highly-rated and well-established pawn shop located in Lincoln Square. It has a 4.8-star rating on Google with 76 reviews. This is also among the older pawn shops in Manhattan, as it has been in operation for more than 70 years. It opened in April 1946. Throughout the decades, the ownership has stayed the same. This includes a dedication to ethical practices and customer service.

You can visit this pawn shop to get cash for diamonds, gold, electronics, and other items. You can also pawn or buy gaming systems, digital cameras, gift cards, and other miscellaneous items. Your items are stored in secure bank vaults, and the cash loans are discreet. Best of all, they even offer a two-month grace period, which is more than the state law requires.

4- NYC Luxury Pawn Loans

If you are looking for somewhere in Manhattan to pawn luxury jewelry, then you may want to consider NYC Luxury Pawn Loans. They specialize in buying and pawning jewelry, luxury watches, and diamonds. They also offer collateral loans if that is what you are looking for.

This company has been in business since 2009 and prides itself on paying top dollar. While the pawn shop is a bit over a decade old, the manager has more than two decades of experience working with jewelry.

Although there are only three reviews on Yelp for this pawn shop so far, they are all 5/5 stars. Importantly, this includes reviews from people who pawned or sold items and those who bought them. One reviewer mentions buying a fairly priced antique engagement ring that was perfect for them—and getting a free toast to celebrate. Others highlight how the pawn shop was there to help them when they needed it.

5- NY Pawnbrokers

NY Pawnbrokers is another popular option in Manhattan. Impressively, out of 43 Google reviews, the pawn shop has a 4.4/5-star rating. It’s worth noting that there is also a location in the Bronx in addition to the Manhattan location.

A few things about NY Pawnbrokers make this pawn shop stand out. To start, they have over 35 years of experience. Given that most of the others on this list have about 20 years, that is impressive. The other notable thing is that they will buy, sell, or pawn “everything.” This means you can pawn or buy jewelry, electronics, and even cars. They also regularly buy, sell, and pawn camera and video equipment, designer handbags, sneakers, computers, gaming consoles, power tools, DJ equipment, musical instruments, etc.

If you decide to pawn with NY Pawnbrokers, you can take advantage of their surprisingly low-interest rates of 4% per month. (Remember that there is a vault charge for jewelry or an extra care charge for non-jewelry. There is also a service charge of $4 to $10). Whether you choose to sell an item or pawn it for a loan, they advertise that you can be in and out in 10 minutes.

The reviews highlight that this pawn shop delivers excellent and consistent customer service. Some reviews mention buying various items from electronics to bikes over the years and have always been satisfied. Others mention the convenience of getting a pawn or selling an item very quickly. People who pawn items also praise the fact that they give you enough time to pay back the loan. According to the company’s website, they give you four months plus a 30-day grace period.

Other Great Choices

If you need another pawn shop near me, the following are other great choices in Manhattan. They are all highly rated on both Yelp and Google. 

• East Village Buyers
• EZ Pawn Corp 
• Low Percent Pawn Shop 
• New Liberty Loans Pawn Shop 
• New York Loan Company 
• NYC Pawn Shop 
• Pawn212 

You will notice that some pawn shops call themselves loan companies or something similar instead of a pawn shop. These loan companies typically operate the same as a pawn shop, using the value of your merchandise as collateral for a loan. 

How to Pick the Right Manhattan Pawn Shop

Whether you want to buy, pawn, or sell items, you want to choose the pawn shop carefully. You will want to keep the following things in mind:

• Prices
• Reviews from customers 
• Reputation
• Testing of items
• Licensing
• Location and convenience

You may also want to explore the pawn shop’s website to get a better feel for its history and offerings. After all, not every pawn shop will deal with the type of merchandise that you want to buy or pawn. For example, some specialize in gold and other jewelry, while others specialize in electronics. 

Conclusion

The above businesses are just a handful of the many pawn shops that you can find in Manhattan. Which one you choose will likely depend on where you live and work and what you want to buy, sell, or pawn. This list is far from conclusive, and there are also plenty of great pawn shops to consider. Just be sure to read reviews, compare prices, and check licensing before pawning anything.

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