I am from the Detroit area. You would think that the personality you all
are describing would be unique. It is not! Why does it bother them if you
browse or if you say your are just looking? Many retail outfits LIVE on
that principle. As far as deals. About 30 years ago, I bought a Teac 3340,
4 channel reel to reel tape recorder with 10 1/2 reels for $250 (as I
recall, it was worth about $1500). It was like new. In the same pawn shop
I saw items (microphones, tools, etc), as you all have pointed out, higher
than retail. I would sure like someone in the business to explain this
philosophy. It might help to explain some of the same mentality I am seeing
in the real estate business now.

"Frank Campbell" wrote in message
...
In article , Phil Hansen
wrote:

Last year I got a Record Bailey 3 from a pawn shop in the nearest city.
Paid R50 ($7.5) for it. The assistant asked why I wanted an obsolete
piece of junk. "everybody uses power these days". replied that it was
still an extremely usefull tool and a lot still use them.
Went in on Friday, they had a Stanley handyman 12-020 and a Bohmer (sp).
They wanted R500 ($75) for them. 900% in a year? Bet they stay there for
a long time. Can buy a new Stanley Handyman here for about R250
There must be some serious suckers out there

Your post reminded me of a place here in Vancouver that I used to go to
many years ago, the guy had a store packed with stuff, he stood at the
door beside a sign that said "No Browsing". You told him what you were
looking for and if he had it he let you in, otherwise you were told to
leave. It was always a challenge to get in just to look around, it
really bugged him if you asked the price of something other than what
you had told him you were looking for.

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