Granters Pawn Shop
A Quality Full Service Pawn Shop in El Cerrito, CA 94530
WWII was in full swing. By February 1943, Germany surrendered at Stalingrad. This was the first major defeat of Hitler’s armies and a welcome turn. Simultaneously, the US announced the first ration of shoes to help with war efforts.
Bob Granter and his three brothers were passing through the town of El Cerrito from Oregon. In the 1940s, El Cerrito had a little over 7000 people living in the small town where you would find cattle being driven down the middle of town to slaughter. On an adventure of a lifetime, Bob Granter was going to travel with his brothers throughout the U.S.
“You know you are on the right track when you become uninterested in looking back,” and true to this love quote; Bob sent his brothers on their way. He had fallen in love, and he married and opened Granters Pawn Shop in 1943.
During the post-WWII era, El Cerrito’s population sky-rocketed to 16,624. And by 1950, he population jumped to 18,000 people. This growth was a grand opportunity for Bob Granter and his newly established pawn shop…
An Eccentric Man With An Unconventional Approach To Pawn Services
Being an eccentric man with a flair for quality music and fine jewelry, Bob Granter exemplifying his unconventional approach to pawn services. It would not be unusual to find he had taken in a 4ct diamond solitaire ring and a Steinway Grand Piano in one pawn.
Bob met “Uncle Ralph” in the 1960’s. “Uncle Ralph” was was a rookie police officer and to get a little quick cash to head to Reno/Tahoe for a bit of weekend gambling, he would stop by to see Bob Granter at the pawn shop and work a deal to pawn his service revolver, a .357 Colt Python, which was later engraved with Uncle Ralph’s nickname “Rotten Ralph”.
Unfortunately, many times “Uncle Ralph” (Vito’s dad) would have to ask Bob for his Python back to go to work on Monday morning, and Bob would have Ralph sign an IOU on a piece of scrap paper to put in the vault where the pistol should have been held as collateral. It was a bit unconventional in today’s world, but it worked and was Bob’s style. Bob and “Uncle Ralph” became good friends.
Living well into his 70s, Bob set the foundation for Granters Pawn Shop. “Uncle Ralph” had an opportunity to acquire Granters after Bob’s death, but “Uncle Ralph” was no longer a “rookie” on the police force, and he had a wife and two young boys to raise. A career change didn’t make sense and it was a considerable gamble he wasn’t willing to take.
Instead, Granters was passed to Bob’s son-in-law, “Stan the Man,” who would carry on Bob’s legacy and impact Vito for a lifetime.
Want Honest Truth Listen to a Child
Little ones give a genuine, unadulterated view of the world. They say it how it is. If I want an honest opinion, I ask a kiddo, they just lay it out there. “It’s okay if you have grey hair, Grams you’re old,” said my 4-year-old granddaughter last weekend. I smiled and said, “I am, sweetie, I am.” She replies, “does your hair turn white because all your energy runs out of it?” I hesitated for a minute and thought, how the heck did she figure out at such a young age where my energy went when I’ve been wondering each afternoon about five o’clock.
A "Magical Place" in the Words of Once a Five-Year-Old Child Now A Successful Business Owner - Vito
Dark hair, five or six years old, and just tall enough to see in the window of Granters Pawn, Vito remembers “Stan the Man” looking like Rod Steiger in the classic movie The Pawnbroker, sitting behind the counter, a green visor on, and a loupe clipped onto his glasses.
Vito said, “the pawnshop was an amazing magical place to me.”
He explained he would go into the pawnshop and, “my head would spin around looking all around. There were guns, swords, taxidermy animals, pocket watches. It was dark and cool, with interesting stuff everywhere, even on the ceiling. The pawnshop was right next door to the barber where my dad and I would get our hair cut together, and a hot lather neck shave with a straight razor and the old-fashioned leather strap to sharpen it. I even snuck my first peek at a playboy there. I continued to stop and visit Stan while growing up. I would ride my bike down to the shop, and Stan would let me hang out, clean the shop, and teach me how to be a pawnbroker. As I got older, he would give me gold chains and jewelry to sell to the secretaries at the local offices and to the dispatchers at the police department. He called it a vest pocket sales person. I would then return what I did not sell and split the profit with what I did.”
The Perfect Engagement Ring
In 1986 Vito bought his beautiful bride’s engagement ring from Stan, a .33 ct round VS2 / H in a yellow gold solitaire.
“Stan the Man” passed away on a beautiful day in June; a day filled with conflicting emotions and lessons. Vito explained, “I remember because that is my wedding anniversary. I got a haircut that morning and stopped by to see Stan and told him I’d see him at the reception. He never showed.”
Life is filled with unexpected events that impact us to the core.
“Stan the Man” shaped Vito through his unadulterated five-year-old eyes when Vito discovered “A Magical Place,” and left Vito on a magical day. Both events were filled with love and a future.
“Stan the Man” throughout his life, took the time to sculpt, guide, and mentor Vito in so many ways. Vito would take what he learned and build his future from a small, honest child of five to an adolescent learning to make a profit.
Following Stan’s death, his son, Dino, took over Granters Pawn for a few years, and in 1993, Vito and “Uncle Ralph” (Vito’s dad) acquired Bob Granter’s legacy and officially owned the pawnshop. “Uncle Ralph” and Vito would carry on the business and its legacy of “Ca$h in a Flash.”
Multi-Generational Brilliance
Many pawn shops, like Granters Pawn Shop, began as “mom and pop” operations and evolved into multi-generational companies.
“Uncle Ralph” and Vito work together each day at Granters Pawn to promote the legacy of Bob Granter, the man traveling with his brothers from Oregon across the country but ending up in El Cerrito, CA, due to falling in love. Like the quote, “you know you are on the right track when you become uninterested in looking back,” “Uncle Ralph” and Vito have never looked back.
Running a multi-generational pawnshop builds value within the company, and customers get the “added value” of trust, stability, knowledge and experience, and service.
The definition of evolution is a change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. Granters Pawn has evolved into the pawnshop it is today. “Uncle Ralph” and Vito acquired Granters Pawn and Bob’s legacy and eccentric and unprecedented dedication to the pawn industry.
There is no fame in preserving the core values of multi-generational pawn shops like Granters Pawn Shop. The payoff is in the people and relationships.
Vito served six years on the Board of Directors of the California Association Of Pawnbrokers (CAPA). Vito said, “Leaders in our industry are changing how pawn is perceived by the public. We are squashing the old stereotypes – proving pawn is a Fortune 500 business.” Today, he actively supports and mentors other pawnbrokers and clearly lives up to his motto, “no pawnbroker left behind” exemplified in Facebook group Pawnbrokers Helping Pawnbrokers (PHP).
Granters Pawn Today
Today, Granters has two pawn shops, the original store in Cerrito and the second store that opened in 2014 in Vallejo. The Vallejo store is dedicated to the memory of Timothy Pult. “Tim Pult was a tireless volunteer and contributor to the community he loved.” Granters Jewelry & Loan of Vallejo is a pawn shop serving its community in a way that would make Tim proud.
Many other places provide pawn shop services. Granters strives to be the best pawn shop in the Bay Area and it is the location you want to come to when you need a pawn loan or want to buy or shop for luxury items, gold, antiques, diamonds, silver, fine jewelry, musical instruments, luxury watches, luxury handbags, and newer name brand electronics. The offer appraisals on site with no appointment if you need on the spot cash offers on valuable items. Busy and don’t have much time? Text pictures for a pawn advisor to appraise before you come it.
Online Store With A Photo To Enhance Your Shopping Experience
Granters Pawn has an online shop that makes shopping easy. You can shop at home, at work on your lunch break, at the park, or in any other setting. As long as you have internet, the convenient drop-down menu will take you to the online store. To find Granters Pawn put https://granterspawn.com/ in your browser search bar and follow the link. The website includes a convenient map if you need directions to find either store.
There are reviews, so you can read what consumers are saying about the services provided by Granters Pawn. Granters has an inventory that often changes, so check back if you are looking for gold earrings, diamonds, a silver pendant, name-brand newer electronics, musical instruments, or other luxury items.
When you decide to purchase, know that the items are authenticated and shipping charges will be disclosed, so you don’t have to come to the store. You can also work with the team to come by and pick up your purchase. We love seeing our customers. To find affordable and luxury items Granter’s online store is a great way to do your shopping on your lunch break or sitting on your sofa in the evening with a glass of wine. The online shop is an easy way to regularly check and see if there are items for sale you want.
Jewelry Repair Services
A unique and added value offered by Granters is their jewelry repair services. Offering a wide selection of high-quality and unique jewelry for sale, Granters’ jeweler has 25-years of experience and is knowledgeable when it comes to selling jewelry and providing each customer with on-site jewelry repair services like bench repairs, tipping, resizing, soldering, cleaning, and polishing, stone setting, re-tipping, and refurbishing.
Free Appraisals
Offering honest, transparent appraisals, Granters Pawn Shop is your go-to option when considering buying, selling, or pawning your luxury items. All of their appraisal services are free.
Professional Diamond Service
Granters offer ca$h in a flash in exchange for your jewelry. Offering honest, transparent diamond appraisals, we’re your go-to option when considering buying or pawning your precious stones. We invite you to stop by our stores in El Cerrito and Vallejo, CA, today and see what makes our experience different from all the others.
There’s an essential measure used in the process, commonly known as the 4 C’s:
Carat: How much does your diamond weigh?
Color: Does your diamond have a color?
Clarity: Can we see any flaws in your diamond?
Cut: How well does your diamond reflect light?
Pawn Loan Services
The pawn process is much the same as any other lending institution in El Cerrito and Vallejo, CA, with the primary difference being the use of collateral instead of credit. Collateral is any item of value that the pawnshop wants to accept as security for the loan.
Pawn loans are written for four months (120 days), and at the end of that period, the customer is required to pay the loan in full plus the small amount of interest and charges due. After payment in full, the collateral is returned.
If the customer cannot pay the loan in full, the customer may have the option of paying the interest and charges due and rewriting the loan for another four months. The opportunity to customize the loan to include this extension is at the discretion of the pawnshop.
If the customer does not repay the loan in full plus the interest and charges due or rewrite the loan by the due date plus a ten-day grace period, the collateral is forfeited to the pawnbroker. Each item forfeited will then be placed on the showroom floor at a reasonable price so other customers shopping for a similar item can have a chance to purchase it at great prices.
"You know you are on the right track when you become uninterested in looking back."
Vito didn’t understand as a five-year-old boy, peering through the window of Granters Pawn that he was on the right track, a track that would move him forward and that he would never look back.
Like his grandfather and those before him, he is a spirited man who wants to accomplish the next adventure. Sculpted by the magic of the pawnshop and the mentorship of “Stan the Man” he learned the skills and fine art he needed to be a successful pawnbroker, and eventually own the family business.
Completely vested in the long-term success of the pawn industry and helping to change the stereotypical image people have about pawn shops and the services they offer, Vito approaches each day with enthusiasm and gusto for the pawn industry.
As the best pawn shop in the Bay Area, Granters has offers Authentic, Affordable, Luxury!
