Rick Harrison stepped into the limelight as the star of Pawn Stars, a reality show aired on History Channel. The series, filmed in Las Vegas, Nevada, documents the daily events at the World-Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. The family-run business has been in operation since the late eighties, and its day-to-day activities were run by Richard Harrison, the patriarch, prior to his demise, his son Rick, grandson Corey, and Corey’s childhood friend, Austin.
At the pawnshop, customers often come in with different artifacts that they sell or pawn. Their interaction, which often includes bargains and historical backgrounds of artifacts, is accompanied by narrations. This format has proven to make great television, as Pawn Stars is one of the channel’s highest-rated reality shows, coming only second to Jersey Shore. One of the most notable moments on the show was when a high school mouthpiece belonging to Lebron James, who's friends with the who's who like Jay-Z, was featured on the show.
Born Richard Kevin Harrison, Rick Harrison has a history of business. Besides helping at the Pawn Shop in his formative years, Rick repossessed cars as a side hustle. It is however the wit and business acumen put into making the pawnshop a success, that made him a millionaire. That said and done, here are 10 things Rick Harrison has done to grow his net worth.
10 Humble Beginnings
Like almost every entrepreneur there is, Rick’s story is not void of its humble start. He stands out as one of those people who knew from the get-go that they were not cut out for the 9-5 lifestyle. He dropped out of school to start his first business; selling faux Gucci bags. His hunch was right, as the gig brought in an estimated $2000 every week.
9 Car Repossession
In its early days, the Gold & Silver Coin Shop, their first business, was not making much. Rick, who co-owned the business with his father, searched for an alternative source of income. During the day, he would foresee and carry out errands at the shop. When it closed for the evening, Rick had a second job repossessing cars at night. After five years of doing business, the store moved to a much larger space.
8 Co-owning the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop
In 1989, Rick and his father renamed their shop and turned it into a Pawning business, something they had dreamt about for quite some time. Rick and his dad tracked the city’s population and obtained a pawn license when it reached 250,000. The pawning business would see them earn up to $700,000 annually in interest by the year 2005, and is the foundation for their reality show.
7 Pawn Stars, History Channel’s Top-Rated Reality Show
In 2003, the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop was featured on Insomniac with Dave Attell. After the feature, Rick Harrison got a bug that urged him to begin a reality show. For four years, he tried to make it happen, but it didn’t take off. It was through the help of Brent Montgomery in 2008 that the idea was made feasible, and Pawn Stars, which became one of History Channel’s top shows, went on air.
6 Other Television Appearances
In addition to ‘Pawn Stars’, Rick Harrison has made appearances in other television shows. In 2012, Rick, alongside his son Corey, and Corey’s friend Chumlee, appeared on an episode of the sitcom iCarly as themselves. Within the same timeframe, he also appeared as an owner of an antique store in an episode of ABC’s The Middle.
5 Book Publishing
Following his success on reality television, Rick Harrison added to his income stream by publishing a memoir. His autobiography, titled License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver, was published in 2011. Less than two weeks after its publication, the book reached number 22 on The New York Times Best Seller list.
4 Real Estate: The Pawn Plaza
Right next to the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop is Rick Harrison’s go at real estate. 'The Pawn Plaza' is a two-story retail center that houses restaurants and attractions. Located at 'The Pawn Plaza' are Gus Dean’s Ice Cream, BLVD Coffee, Chumlee’s candy shop, Rick’s Rolling Smoke BBQ, and OffMane Street Salon.
3 Product Endorsements
Being a famous face Rick Harrison has capitalized on his image by enforcing different products. In 2014, he was an ambassador of Micro Touch One Razor and appeared in a television commercial promoting the brand. The same year, Rick also endorsed Amarin’s Omega-3 Vascepa brand Rx drug. He made the announcement through his Twitter account that has since gained more followers.
2 Speaking Engagements
Still a way to bring the cheques in, speaking engagements were not off the table. A capitalization of the fame, the pre-covid era saw Rick Harrison bag a couple of speaking gigs. According to Speaker Booking Agency, to book Rick Harrison, an organizer has to part with at least $20,000 to $30,000 per gig. Rick is able to travel, and also has a different rate card for virtual events.
1 Other Business Pursuits: The Rick Harrison Collection & A Game Show
As if to crown and cement his knowledge of antiques, 'The Rick Harrison' Collection was created to fulfill a need that’s different from pawning. At the gallery, curious collectors have the opportunity to explore and purchase unique pieces. The store opened its doors in 2019 and is located in The Venetian Resort, Las Vegas. That aside, Rick Harrison has extended his wings in television by hosting Pawnography, a game show on History Channel.