Neighborhood Pawn Shop is Here to Help

Pawn shops are one of the oldest financial institutions in the United States but are often stigmatized as being found in shady locales and serving as a symbol of lower class neighborhoods.

Fire and Ice Pawn, 3307 Lithia Pinecrest Road, Valrico, is aiming to change that perception. The recently opened business is run by Marc Schludt, a 55-year-old retired Hillsborough County firefighter, and his partner, Steve Dowd, who is still with the fire department. The two wanted to create a pawn shop to get into the business of helping people, just as they have done in their years as firefighters.

"I just figured when I retired that I would look for something to do that would be fun and that would allow me to still help people," Schludt said. "It's not all about the big score like you see on Pawn Stars. People come in with a wedding ring, and my first question is, what do you need? How I can help is why I'm in this business. I don't want people's things, but if I can help by giving them some money and hanging on to it for a while, then we'll make a deal."

To some, the pawn shop represents a shady element. But Schludt hopes he can alleviate those peoples' worries by helping them understand what he does.

"We've gotten a bit of a mixed reaction," Schludt said. "People see a pawn shop and some of them think 'there goes the neighborhood.' At the end of the day, we're really a family run operation, and we treat our customers fairly. There is a perception that this business isn't clean, but that just isn't true. As firemen we've cared about people for years and I think we're carrying that with us into this business."

In a time when pennies are being pinched by many, Schludt is looking forward to people realizing the value of his store.

"You don't have to be down and out to get rid of stuff," Schludt said. "The Internet has really affected what we do because people know more about what things are worth. They come in with expectations, and as long they are reasonable and understanding about how a pawn shop works, they walk out of here happy whether they are buying or selling."

From Juggler to Fireman to Pawn Shop Owner

Schludt has worn many hats in his lifetime. After attending college on a gymnastics scholarship, he went on tour with the circus as a juggler. He made his way to the Tampa Bay area in the 1970s working at Busch Gardens as an entertainer. After finishing the fire academy, he began his career battling flames in Brandon.

Over the years, he has owned a bar, performed as a halftime act at NBA basketball games and travelled the world entertaining while balancing family life as a father of six in addition to his firefighting career, but now, he looks forward to living the life of a small business owner.

"I've been a lot of places and done a lot of things never really living a normal lifestyle," Schludt said. "I'm looking forward to doing just this. Getting started has been tough as we get all the legal stuff worked out, and right now I'm here six days a week as we work out getting this off the ground, but once we get going I'm going to enjoy being able to come and go as I please."

Unlike other businesses, a pawn shop is a reasonably safe investment for the retired firefighter. While pizza shops and bars often close just as quickly as they open, a pawn shop is a much more reliable business for the entrepreneur.

"The beauty of the pawn business is that when the economy is good, it's good for us; when it's bad, it's still good for us," Schludt said. "There will be busier times than others, and some items will sit on the shelf for a while, but a lot of people are looking for deals, and this is a place where you can come to get one whether you're selling or buying."

Items on the shelves at Fire and Ice are sparce right now due to the fact they've only been open a few days, but as things pour in, Schludt is expecting people to see how nice of an operation he is running.

"Right now it looks empty, but we do have some guns and jewelry, which is part of where the name Fire and Ice comes from," Schludt said. "But as it fills up, I think people will see that we're running a clean shop here. Women really get it because the truth is, there is very little reason to shop for jewelry at the mall anymore. We'll get a lot of tools with the construction industry being down, but guys come back to get tools even if they don't get back what they pawned because there are good deals."

Fire Ice and Pawn is open from 9:30 a.m to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Their phone number is 813-438-8713.