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September 2009
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9-24-09; Continued support for the Lt. Robert D.
Westberg Scholarship Golf Tournament. TC's Pawn
Company has for many years supported this great event!
The Tenth Annual Tournament was scheduled for Monday,
October 5, 2009 at the Country Club of Waterbury. Last
years event was another great success and raised
impressive money for the scholarship fund which awards
deserving sons and daughters of current, retired or
deceased Waterbury police officers who plan to pursue
college degrees. The generous spirit of deceased
Waterbury Police Lt. Robert D. Westburg lives on! |
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TC's Pawn Company supported it's community
once again becoming a Platinum sponsor supporting Waterbury Crime
Stoppers 23rd Annual Ziti Dinner
that took place on September 10, 2009 - As we have for many years in the past.
Concerned citizens of the
Waterbury Area
working together with
local law enforcement to help solve and prevent crime in
our community to keep it safe for our children and all
citizens - Thank you to everyone who attended for the
support of such an important organization!
click here for info |
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8-13-09; It is with regret to inform our
valued customers that we have closed our East Hartford
location.
Since opening up the East
Hartford location, we have felt very welcomed into the
community. You -- our customers & the work we were able to
do within the community -- is what made this such
a satisfying and successful place to work. On behalf of the
entire staff, we thank all of our thousands of customers
for allowing us to serve you and, more importantly, for
making us feel at home.
Please
feel free to call or visit us at our Waterbury location ---
where we've been for 25 years -- at 203-753-7591. The store
is located at 503 Lakewood Road, Waterbury, CT 06704.
click for directions
Again, we thank all our
customers for your support over the past couple of years.
We'll miss seeing you in East Hartford.
Sincerely, The TC's Staff
Partners
in the Community
TC's donates gifts to help raise
money for the Children's Miracle Network Organization
Continued support for the Lt. Robert D. Westberg Scholarship Golf Tournament.
TC's Pawn Company supported it's community
once again becoming a Platinum sponsor supporting Waterbury Crime
Stoppers
Another year (August 2009) that TC's is
sending inner city youth to Summer Camp for 3 weeks in Vermont.
Disabled American Veterans attend
the flag raising on the Magical Mile
TC's Pawn Company
donates TV's to elderly fire victims in Waterbury
Christmas
sponsorships for families in our communities from TC's Pawn
Company 12-2008
TC's opens it's
doors as drop-off centers for local TOYS 4 TOTS efforts - Drop
off by 12-19-08
Magical Mile
Business Association Tree Lighting to take place at TC's Pawn
Co. in Waterbury 12-10-08
Supporting Waterbury Crime Stoppers 22nd Annual Ziti Dinner
September 11, 2008
Reach-
Out of Waterbury receives Support for Youth Appreciation Day from
TC's Pawn Company
Donation
of Wii System Helps the Elderly through a Home-to-Home
Foundation's partnering Nursing Facility
TC's
Pawn Company Supports DAV, Disabled American Veterans
TC's
Pawn Company Sends Inner City Youths to Summer Camp
Young
Campers get Target "Shopping Spree" for Needed Items
from TC's Pawn
Company
Newspaper
Articles
In tough times, pawnbroker's
role in community expands
The General
Manager of TC's Pawn Company becomes Chairperson of the Business
Association
TC's Receives Business
Association Marketing and Positive Image Award
TC's
Sends Inner City Youths to Summer Camp, E.H. Gazette- 6-25-08
Pawnshops: A Popular Place
During Tough Times, Hartford Courant 6-16-08
Gold
can be an economic indicator, Republican American- 1-26-08
Advertising Campaigns
-
TV Commercials also see
Sales
& Promotions |
Supporting
Our Communities...
East Hartford Gazette,
Saturday, 11 July 2009 14:41
John
James
 “I
am so excited; I can’t wait,”
one of the two recipients of the
Second Annual TC’s Pawn Company
Camp Farwell Sponsorship Essay
Award said when she heard that
she was one of the two girls
whose essays were selected.
“I’ve never been camping before.
I heard all the stories from the
girls who went last summer.”
After the success of last year’s
essay contest, the Pitkin Street
store decided to commit to the
project again. Last June TC’s
Pawn Company offered students at
Hockanum Elementary school the
opportunity to write an essay on
one of three topics, said Jay
Sargent, General Manager of TC’s
of Waterbury and East Hartford.
“First we approached Mayor
Melody Currey and she suggested
the school.” After that, Sargent
contacted Hockanum Principal
Lisa Beauchamp, and things
progressed quickly.
“Camp Farwell is a picturesque
girls camp that has been
providing unique wilderness
experiences exclusively for
young girls for over a hundred
years,” Sargent said.
Nestled in the Hall’s Lake
region of Newbury, Vermont, the
camp is a long way from the
inner city. The rural camp
provides numerous opportunities
for life-changing experiences,
especially for kids who have
never camped out before. The
camp’s mission involves bringing
together girls aged 9-16 of
different cultures from around
the world, fostering friendship
and personal growth.
The
camp features horseback riding,
water-skiing, sailing, hiking, a
variety of sports, art classes,
dance and theater activities and
even a petting zoo. There are
over 100 acres of lush forest,
meadows, lakeside log cabins and
rustic living that will help
develop the girls’ confidence,
community spirit and “an
underlying appreciation of
nature’s beauty” that they will
bring home with them.
“This is a unique experience for
the children,” Mayor Currey
said. “We don’t have riding
stables in East Hartford. The
Camp gives the girls an
opportunity to connect with
large animals.”
“Camp Farwell provides a variety
of activities and adventures for
the kids. We’ll be sponsoring
two girls for three-week stays
throughout the month of August,
before they return home to begin
the new school year,” Sargent
said.
Last
year, the essay topic for the
contest was “My Hero is…” and
the selected best essays were
quite emotional, according to
Sargent. The Mayor’s office,
Principal Beauchamp, and Sargent
selected the chosen essays.
“The
girls we sponsored last year
were very bright young ladies,”
Sargent added. “Their writing
was heartfelt and powerful. This
year was no different.” The two
essays selected this year were
read in front of a school
assembly on June 5th.
“Everyone is so proud of these
students,” Sargent said. Essay
topics this year included the
timely “Going Green –
recycling”, “My Country the
USA”, and also “My Hero is…”
Surprisingly, both girls chose
the “My Hero” topic. Sargent
continued, “One of the
youngsters wrote about her
father. She was the only student
from both years who did so. Her
essay was extremely touching.”
Noted Mayor Currey: “They were
three very good topics. [The
selected essays] were the
strongest and most heartfelt” of
those submitted.
“During these tough economic
times, many small businesses and
even larger companies are
scaling back on giving, and
unfortunately projects such as
our Camp Farwell Sponsorship get
left by the wayside,” Sargent
said.
“But, as difficult as it may be
for business, it’s even harder
on an inner city kid in the
summer.”
As
part of each sponsorship, valued
at $4,000, the girls will both
receive a shopping spree to help
purchase supplies and camp
equipment required for their
stay. “We’ll also be helping
their parents with
transportation costs,” Jay
added.
Mayor Currey thanked TC’s and
said that local businesses
should be encouraged in their
support of the community.
“They have a better
understanding of families making
ends meet. They have the ability
to give back.”
Such
is the case in East Hartford and
Waterbury, where TC’s Pawn
Company has served the community
for 25 years. The buildings are
attractive; the showrooms are
clean; the staff is friendly and
helpful.
“We
are not the stereotypical pawn
shop,” Sargent explained. “We
are open, clean, honest, and we
provide a valuable service to
our customers.” At TC’s,
Sergeant notes, customers buy a
wide variety of
heavily-discounted and what the
staff calls “previously-enjoyed”
items.
The
company also purchases many
different items or can give
someone the opportunity to get
their item back later on nearly
anything of value, specializing
in gold and silver jewelry.
“What bank is going to give
someone $25 to pay a babysitter
or $50 to fill their gas tank
for the week?” Sargent asked.
To
TC’s, the Camp Farwell
Sponsorship Essay Award has been
a completely successful
endeavor. Sergeant feels it is
one of the many ways that his
business can partner with and
support the community.
“Look at the pictures on the web
[CampFarwell.com]. It’s a very
meaningful experience for kids,”
he added. In fact, one of the
finalists [from last year’s
contest] wrote again this year.
“She must have wanted to go
again,” Mayor Currey said.
“We’re just happy to help
provide these bright kids with
memories that will last a
lifetime. They so very much
deserve it. In these difficult
economic times it is important
that we do not forget about the
children who are also dealing
with the recession,” added
Sargent.
Waterbury Crime Stoppers -
Press Release Sept 9, 2008
22nd Annual Ziti Dinner,
Thursday 9-11-08, 12pm - 8pm
TC's Pawn Company becomes a
Platinum Sponsor for the Waterbury Crime Stoppers Annual Ziti
dinner. Waterbury Crime Stoppers, Inc. is a non-profit
organization, which pays rewards up to $1000.00 to anonymous
informants who provide information leading to the filing of
criminal charges against perpetrators. The annual dinner helps
to raise the funds needed for these efforts. TC's Pawn Company
believes it's important to work with it's communities and law
enforcement agencies in order to help prevent and solve
crime, therefore participating in creating safe environments for
our children to grow and prosper. TC's has supported these
efforts for many years.
For more information on
the 22nd Annual Dinner, visit
www.waterburycrimestoppers.org
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June
23, 2008
TC's
Super Pawn Co. Jewelry Receives 2008 Best of Waterbury Award
U.S.
Local Business Association’s Award Plaque Honors the
Achievement |
WASHINGTON
D.C., June 23, 2008 -- TC's Super Pawn Co. Jewelry has been
selected for the 2008 Best of Waterbury Award in the Pawn Shops
category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).
The
USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes
outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year,
the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved
exceptional marketing success in their local community and
business category. These are local companies that enhance the
positive image of small business through service to their
customers and community.
Various
sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the
winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on
quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the
information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data
provided by third parties. SOURCE: U.S.
Local Business Association.
Supporting
Our Communities
TC's
Pawn Company helps support local Disabled American Veterans
- June 13, 2008
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As a
very proud participant in a fundraiser sponsored by "The
Magical Retail Mile" (Wolcott St & Lakewood Rd Business
Association) & The Waterbury Regional Chamber, TC's sold
miniature American flags at our Waterbury location along
with other members of the Association. On June 13, 2008 a flag
raising ceremony took place on Wolcott Rd in Waterbury, CT
and it was at that time our Assc. Chairperson Senator Robert Kane
presented our contribution to the DAV. We are proud to
support our local community and our Disabled American
Veterans. |
Supporting
Our Communities...
TC's
Pawn Company Sends Inner City Youths to Summer Camp in Vermont
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Presentation
of CamperShips on June 5, 2008 at The Hockanum Elementary.
From left to right are, the Honorable Mayor of East Hartford
Melody A. Currey, the authors of the 2 chosen essays &
Jay S., Regional Manager for TC's Pawn Company |
East Hartford
Gazette Newspaper, June 25, 2008
Essay contest
winners are off to summer camp
By: John-James,
SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE
"When
we opened our newest store in East Hartford, we wanted to
immediately get involved in the community," said Jay
Sargent, General Manager for TC's Pawn Company and Jewelry and
Electronics Exchange of both East Hartford and Waterbury.
For
years, TCs Pawn Co. was active with supporting Waterbury's
inner-city youth surrounding the company's original location.
Sargent was approached by the Stanavage family, a local family
active in the Waterbury community, and learned about Vermont's
Camp Farwell.
"The
Stanavage family had been sponsoring kids to attend Camp Farwell
for years," Sargent explained. "It was really close to
their hearts. We were humbled when asked to carry on the
legacy."
"I immediately saw this as a great opportunity,"
Sargent said. "Other companies and organizations sponsor
youth campership programs, but Camp Farwell looked like a unique
opportunity - something more personal and exciting. Right away
we wanted to bridge a relationship between the camp and East
Hartford inner-city kids."
Camp Farwell is the oldest continually summer camp exclusive for
girls. Nestled by the side of the majestic Hall's Lake in
Newbury, Vermont, the camp boasts 100-acres of lush forest,
meadows, and lakeside log cabins - rustic living at a place far
different than the concrete sidewalks, traffic, and urban sprawl
of the city. In this location, Camp Farwell focuses on providing
girls 9-16 years of age with an opportunity for "personal
growth, self-confidence, and an underlying appreciation of
nature's beauty."
At Camp Farwell, girls have an opportunity to forge friendships
and create lifelong memories. Further, girls from all over the
United States and worldwide visit the camp, so campers are able
to meet peers from a diversity of cultures. "This is a big
deal for a kid from the city," Sargent explained. "At
the camp there are tons of activities: horseback riding,
water-skiing, sailing, kayaking, and they have a petting zoo
where kids can help feed and care for the animals."
After TCs was committed to the venture, it became a matter of
selecting two lucky children to attend the summer camp. "We
arranged on a 3 week session at the height of the summer. It's
just beautiful up there [in Vermont] at this time of year,"
Sargent said. TCs contacted the Honorable Mayor of East
Hartford, Melody A. Currey, for assistance.
"The Mayor's office was quite helpful. The Mayor assisted
us and recommended Hockanum Elementary School in East
Hartford." Sargent met with Hockanum principal Lisa
Beauchamp and quickly there was an essay contest begun to select
just which kids would visit Camp Farwell. "There were great
essays," Sargent said. "It's hard to describe the
emotion behind many of the stories that the students told in
their writing." The Mayor's office, Principal Beauchamp,
and Sargent read and judged all of the essays. "We were all
really touched by the heartfelt writing of these bright
students," Sargent continued.
On June 5th, at the final school assembly of the year, Mayor
Currey and Sargent announced the two students selected to attend
Camp Farwell. There was great excitement in the air and everyone
in attendance was anxious for the news.
While only two students could be selected, Sargent proudly said,
"To me, they're all winners. But these two girls' essays
stood out. They are very bright kids with great personalities.
They're truly deserving of this."
Both students chose the topic "My Hero" and wrote
about family members who've inspired them and who have done much
for them throughout their young lives. One wrote of her mother
who is always there for her, through thick and thin.
The other wrote of her caretaker, her grandmother, who
persevered through adversity and tough times, but who always
strives to give her ward the best she can.
When TCs contacted the girls' guardians to announce that their
kids were headed for camp, there were smiles everywhere. One was
pleasantly surprised that a pawn shop would do such a thing for
her little girl.
"Most people have a stereotypical idea of a pawn shop as
business tucked away in a less desirable part of town,"
Sargent explained. "That's not the reality. TC's is a part
of the community. We provide the opportunity for people who need
a quick short-term loan and can't get it from a bank. What bank
is going to loan someone $100 to make the rent or $50 to fill
the gas tank?"
TC's Pawn Company and Jewelry and Electronics Exchange at 7
Pitkin St. Sargent, who is also President of the Connecticut
Pawnbrokers Association, said, "TC's stands apart as a
leader in our industry, and we believe it's important to give
back to the community. This is our chance to give some really
deserving kids memories that will last a lifetime."
Next, TCs will be taking the girls and their guardians on a
shopping spree at an area Target store. "They need a lot of
stuff for their trip," Sargent said. The list of things to
bring to Camp Farwell is extensive. Girls are asked to bring
selected items of clothing, bedding, toiletries and other items
specific to some of the camp activities like horseback riding,
water sports and softball.
"We want to be sure these kids have everything they need
for their adventure," Sargent added. Sargent said that TC's
wanted to give a special thanks to Honorable Mayor Currey,
Principal Beauchamp, Camp Farwell, the Stanavage family, and to
the two girls selected to attend the camp this summer.
"Most of all," he added, "We want to thank all of
the children who participated in the essay contest. These days
we look for good news in the media. It's inspiring to see these
kids from our own community shine and give us all something to
be proud of."
©East Hartford
Gazette 2008
Hartford
Courant Newspaper, CT June 16, 2008
Pawnshops: A Popular Place
During Tough Times
In Difficult Economic Times, People Tend To Do What They Must To Make Ends
Meet -
BY WILLIAM WEIR | Courant
Staff Writer
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JOSH TARNOCZY of TC's Pawn Co. in
East
Hartford tests an electric keyboard brought in by Danae Javinett, a Manchester
Community College student. Javinett said the $35 she got for the keyboard
and an electric guitar tuner would be used for gasoline and groceries. (MARK
MIRKO / June 13, 2008)
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Consider some of the folks who passed through TC's Pawn Co.
in East
Hartford around lunchtime one recent day:
A 48-year-old plumber shopping for $1 CDs (he also bought an electric guitar
for $40 in the parking lot from a man who was planning to sell it to the
store); a 76-year-old woman buying a 14-karat gold ring for about $90 (she
also wanted to sell her humidifier, but found no takers); a community college
student selling a Casio keyboard for $25 to pay for gas and groceries; a
68-year-old retiree pawning for $600 a ring he says is worth $6,000, which he
expects to get back in a few weeks. Some were looking for deals, some just to
get by.
"In the recession that doesn't exist, according to George
Bush, people are losing their mortgages, and they pretty much get money
wherever they can get it," said Jay Sargent, owner of TC's Pawn at 7
Pitkin St.
Good economy or bad, the volume of business at pawnshops is fairly steady. The
difference is whether people are buying or selling, and who's doing it. In a
downturn, the clientele gets more diverse. Sargent nodded his head toward the
security monitor on the wall of his office. A woman at the counter who looks
to be in her early 40s is selling a couple of her rings.
"See, she's got her
Gucci
and her Burberry on," says Sargent, who has an eye for such things after
20 years in the business. "Does she look like your typical pawnshop
customer?"
Pawnbrokers have done their business for thousands of years with little change
in procedure or reputation. An air of desperation has always lingered around
any establishment bearing the three-ball logo, the pawn's international
symbol. But times are tough, and a lot of people are considering things they
hadn't before to make ends meet.
Whether it's a good idea to sell your stuff at a pawnshop, apparently a lot of
people do. According to the National Pawnbrokers Association, the number of
pawnshops in the U.S. has increased from 6,900 in 1988 to about 13,000 this
year.
If you've got some jewelry or a saxophone you want to hock, there are a few
things to know. For one, don't say "hock" — it automatically marks
you as a newbie in the pawn world.
People often confuse secondhand stores for pawnshops. But in addition to
buying and selling used goods, a pawnshop makes loans in exchange for items.
For instance, if you bring a watch into a pawnshop, you can either pawn it or
sell it outright. If you pawn the watch, it's essentially treated as a loan,
with the watch as collateral. You get a ticket for your item and have 60 days
to repay the loan with interest. During that time, the store must hold onto
it. After the 60 days are up, the item is forfeited and the store will mark up
the price significantly and sell it.
Interest rates and other fees vary. Sargent is otherwise forthcoming about the
pawn business, but he won't discuss his rates and fees.
Jewelry, especially gold, is the most popular item. Next are computers, and
then video game systems. Musicians and contractors get hit particularly hard
in bad times, Sargent says, and you'll find a lot of musical instruments and
power tools in the aisles.
Some pawnshops in Connecticut fit the popular image of "seedy little back
alley stores," as Sargent puts it. Even in midday, some require being
buzzed in from behind locked metal doors.
But TC's Pawn is brightly lit with neatly arranged aisles, and staffers —
all wearing official TC's T-shirts — politely ask customers if they need
help. Between his two stores, the 38-year-old Sargent employs 22 people and is
president of the Connecticut Association of Pawnbrokers. He talks about
cleaning up the image of pawnshops, and refers to his customers as "a
community."
About a mile from TC's in East Hartford is Fernando's Pawn, though the large
sign outside simply reads "PAWN SHOP." Located at 711 Burnside Ave.,
it's a sparse setup, with a glass counter bearing mostly jewelry, but also
some CDs, DVDs and video games.
The manager, Matt Conforto, is a talkative 24-year-old. He's interested in
jewelry and knows about appraising stones and metals, and figured the pawn
business was a good fit. The store competes with U-Pawn, directly across the
street at 700 Burnside, and customers often stop at both places before
finalizing deals. A man behind the counter at U-Pawn, a considerably less
media-friendly venue, says, "Take it down the road, I don't deal with any
newspapers."
The first customer to enter Fernando's is a fellow holding a can of beer in a
paper bag, and he immediately tells Conforto a story about how someone
recently paid him $50 to use his ID to sell some stuff at another shop. He
says he has some air conditioners and a Bowflex exercise set down the road and
needs a car to get them to the shop.
"I deal in a lot of hot [items]," the man says. Don't bring them in
here, Conforto replies.When the man learns that there is a reporter in the
shop, he introduces himself as "Joe Blow." Then he tries to cut a
deal with the reporter to transport the air conditioners, but strikes out
again.
Stolen goods are probably the biggest blot on the public image of pawnshops.
To that end, by state law, positive identification is required of customers
for all transactions. Stores also must report all pawns and purchases so that
local police can compare them to descriptions of stolen items. Officials at
the National Pawnbrokers Association say the problem isn't as bad as many
think, and estimate that less than one-tenth of 1 percent of all goods in
pawnshops are confirmed as stolen.
The next to stop in are teenagers from the shoreline. An 18-year-old from
Essex is selling a 1,000-watt Kenwood amplifier for his car stereo. Conforto
looks at it with suspicion. There's something odd about the steel plate, and
the serial number doesn't look the way serial numbers normally do. It could be
a knockoff, or stolen. Further inspection and discussion, though, sway
Conforto that his new customers are on the up-and-up.
The young man says he is moving to South Carolina with his mother and figures
it is better to get some money than ship all of his stuff. Conforto gives him
$50. Normally, he wouldn't bother with the amplifier. His boss told him to
concentrate on jewelry and air conditioners, which are almost as good as gold
during heat waves. But the amplifier is almost new and a particularly good
deal.
The teenager is happy to get $50, and Conforto says his boss can sell it on Ebay
for between $200 and $400. So why doesn't everyone just use eBay or craigslist?
For one thing, you can't beat pawnshops for speed. If you have what they want,
the shops are quick cash. And selling online sometimes means meeting with
strangers who want to look at your gold first.
In the world of pawnbroking, value is a fluid thing. What you bought it for or
what the appraisal books say don't matter that much. Says Sargent,
"Things are only worth what you can sell them for."
January
26, 2008 - Republican-American Newspaper, Waterbury, CT
Gold
can be an economic indicator
Pawnbroker
sees trading on increase
|
