Pawn shop offers alternative in financial support

Jon Theriot said that part of his therapy for being a hoarder has included opening a pawnshop.

After serving in the Navy, Theriot married his wife, Carol, and brought his California girl back home to settle in Louisiana. The couple became involved in a number of business ventures.

“We do a lot of stuff,” Theriot said, as he listed renting camps, operating a skating rink and having started high stakes bingo in Terrebonne Parish among his ventures. “I kept justifying my hoarding tendencies by saying, ‘Someday I’ll open a pawn shop.’ I either had to do it or quit saying it.”

Theriot opened Fred’s Pawn Shop after he bought a liquidated Friedman’s Jewelry Store. While there is no Fred, the shop’s name arrived out of making the most of available resources.

Theriot’s wife, being a word puzzles master, took Friedman’s then turned a “d” around to become a “p” and a “m” became a “w” to transformed one business name into another. Fred’s Pawn was the result.

Fred’s Pawn Shop is promoted with assistance Theriot’s bull terrier, Kenzie, who is pictured, adorned with gold necklaces, on the shop’s sign, cards and advertising.

With the popularity of television programs like the History Channel’s Pawn Stars, combined with a slowed economy, the pawn business has grown with consumers viewing them as both a financial institution and a retail outlet.

“We are licensed and regulated by the banking institute of the state,” Theriot said. “We are a lending institution, and we’re becoming kind of mainstream to a lot of people’s ability [to borrow money].”

While traditional lending institutions might reject borrowers from any economic bracket, pawnshops supply loans to all people with personal property as collateral.

“There were pawnshops before there were banks,” Theriot said. “We provide a service.”

NAME: Jon Theriot

TITLE: Owner

COMPANY: Fred’s Pawn Shop

LOCATION: 1406 E. Tunnel Blvd., Houma

TELEPHONE: (985) 873-7296

BIOGRAPHY

DOB: Nov. 2, 1948

EDUCATION: Valley College, majored in business

FAMILY: Married

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

FIRST JOB: Worked in Army Surplus Store

BUSINESS BEGAN: December 2008

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Being able to go into business for myself

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE SELF: Kind

ADVICE TO OTHERS: You don’t fail until you quit

BUSINESS OWNER YOU ADMIRE: Bobby Bartel with Gulf Island Fabricators for his business skills