Les Gold, whose full name is Leslie Gold, was born on June 20, 1950, in Detroit, Michigan, United States. He is an American businessman, pawnbroker, reality television personality, and author. A third-generation pawnbroker, he founded American Jewelry and Loan in 1978 and became known internationally through the truTV reality television series Hardcore Pawn, which followed the daily operations of his family-owned pawnshop in Detroit. The program featured Gold alongside his son Seth Gold and daughter Ashley Broad and aired for nine seasons between 2010 and 2015. In 2013, he published For What It's Worth: Business Wisdom from a Pawnbroker, a book about his experiences in business, sales, and negotiation.

Early Life and Family Background

Les Gold was born on June 20, 1950, in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up in a Jewish family of Eastern European ancestry and attended Oak Park High School in the Detroit metropolitan area.

His family had worked in the pawn business for several generations. His grandfather, Sam Gold, owned Sam's Loans, a pawnshop on Michigan Avenue in Detroit. Through his grandfather's business, Gold became familiar with buying, selling, and negotiating at an early age.

He made his first sale at the age of seven while working in his grandfather's shop. The experience introduced him to dealing with customers and determining the value of secondhand merchandise.

At twelve, he began a small business of his own by buying whole pizzas and selling individual slices to fellow students at Hebrew school. He continued developing his sales and negotiating skills while growing up in Detroit.

Sam's Loans and the Family Pawn Business

Les Gold's grandfather's business, Sam's Loans, operated on Michigan Avenue in Detroit. The pawnshop later closed, but the building remained part of the city's commercial history.

In December 2014, the former pawnshop building reopened as Gold Cash Gold, a restaurant in Detroit's Corktown neighbourhood. The restaurant retained references to the property's earlier use as a pawnshop.

Gold Cash Gold operated for approximately five years before closing on February 2, 2020.

Founding American Jewelry and Loan

In 1978, Les Gold opened his own pawnshop, American Jewelry and Loan, in the Green Eight Shopping Center on Eight Mile Road in Oak Park, Michigan.

The business provided short-term loans secured by personal property and bought and sold secondhand merchandise. Gold drew on his family's experience in pawnbroking while developing his own approach to customer service, sales, and negotiation.

His wife, Lili Gold, supported the establishment and operation of the business.

In 1993, American Jewelry and Loan moved to a larger property on Greenfield Road near Eight Mile Road in Detroit. The new premises occupied a former bowling alley measuring approximately 50,000 square feet.

The building provided space for merchandise displays, customer transactions, storage, and administrative operations. It later became the principal filming location for Hardcore Pawn.

Expansion of American Jewelry and Loan

Under Les Gold's management, American Jewelry and Loan expanded beyond its original Oak Park location.

The company opened a location in Pontiac, Michigan, in 2011, followed by a Hazel Park branch in 2016. Further expansion included locations in Southgate and Lincoln Park in 2021.

At different stages of its development, the business has been described as employing dozens of staff members at its flagship location and handling approximately 1,000 customers per day.

Its services include pawn loans, purchases of secondhand merchandise, and retail sales of jewellery, electronics, musical instruments, tools, and other goods.

Gold and his son Seth Gold have continued working at the Detroit flagship store, while the company has expanded its use of online sales and technology in its operations.

Hardcore Pawn Television Series

Les Gold became known to television audiences through Hardcore Pawn, a reality series broadcast on the American cable television channel truTV.

Television producer Richard Dominick, who had worked on The Jerry Springer Show, became interested in Gold's business after seeing its local television advertisements.

Dominick proposed developing a reality television program based on the everyday activities of the pawnshop. The concept focused on negotiations with customers, unusual merchandise, disagreements within the business, and interactions among employees.

A pilot episode aired in December 2009. The regular series premiered on August 16, 2010.

The premiere attracted approximately two million viewers, becoming the most-watched series premiere on truTV at that time. During its sixth season, the program averaged approximately 2.6 million viewers.

The series ran for nine seasons, with its final regular episode airing on April 6, 2015.

The Gold Family on Television

Hardcore Pawn followed the professional and personal interactions of Les Gold and his children, Seth Gold and Ashley Broad, at American Jewelry and Loan.

Les was presented as the owner and principal decision-maker of the business. His son Seth was involved in management, business development, and operational decisions, while Ashley worked in sales and management.

The program regularly featured disagreements between family members about employee supervision, merchandise prices, customer negotiations, and business strategy.

Gold's wife, Lili Gold, was also associated with the family business and appeared in the series.

Episodes included customers attempting to pawn or sell jewellery, vehicles, antiques, musical instruments, collectibles, and unusual personal possessions.

The television exposure brought visitors to the Detroit store, including viewers who wanted to meet members of the Gold family.

Business Philosophy and Negotiation

Les Gold has described negotiation, customer relations, and merchandise valuation as essential parts of the pawn business.

His approach involves assessing the resale value of an item, understanding the circumstances of a transaction, and deciding whether a purchase or loan is commercially reasonable.

He has discussed these subjects in interviews and public speaking appearances, drawing on his experience managing a pawnshop through changing economic conditions.

Gold has appeared in business and news programs including Good Morning America and The Today Show. His advice has also been featured in publications and broadcasts associated with Forbes, CNN, and other media organizations.

For What It's Worth: Business Wisdom from a Pawnbroker

In June 2013, Les Gold published For What It's Worth: Business Wisdom from a Pawnbroker through Portfolio/Penguin.

The book recounts his experiences growing up in the family pawn business, establishing American Jewelry and Loan, negotiating with customers, and managing employees.

Gold also discusses business principles involving sales, advertising, customer behaviour, pricing, and financial decisions. He uses transactions from his own career to illustrate different approaches to negotiation.

The book appeared on The New York Times Best Seller List in 2013, reaching fourth place in the Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous category during the week of June 30.

In June 2013, Gold appeared on Good Morning America to discuss the book and his approach to business negotiations.

An Italian edition of the book, titled La saggezza degli affari, was published by Sperling & Kupfer in Milan in 2015. The edition presented the same business advice to Italian readers.

Charitable Activities

Les Gold has supported charitable organizations in the Detroit area, including The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW), which helps households experiencing difficulties paying heating and electricity bills.

In February 2013, he organized a fundraising event called Hardcore THAW at American Jewelry and Loan.

The event was held after the store's regular business hours and raised more than $40,000 for the organization.

Gold's involvement with THAW formed part of his support for local community assistance programs in Michigan.

Marriage and Children

Les Gold married Lili Gold in 1975. The couple have two children, Ashley Broad and Seth Gold.

Their daughter, Ashley Broad, was born on January 7, 1978. She worked at American Jewelry and Loan and appeared alongside her father and brother in Hardcore Pawn.

Their son, Seth Gold, was born on February 23, 1981. He studied at the University of Michigan and later joined the family pawn business.

Seth became involved in managing American Jewelry and Loan, including the development of its business operations and sales channels. He was named Pawnbroker of the Year by the National Pawnbrokers Association in 2013.

The Gold family continued operating American Jewelry and Loan after the television series ended.

Business and Television Career

1978 - Founded American Jewelry and Loan in Oak Park, Michigan
1993 - Relocated American Jewelry and Loan to a 50,000-square-foot property in Detroit
2009 - Pilot Episode of Hardcore Pawn Aired
2010–2015 - Appeared in Nine Seasons of Hardcore Pawn on truTV
2011 - American Jewelry and Loan Opened a Pontiac Location
2013 - Published For What It's Worth: Business Wisdom from a Pawnbroker
2013 - Organized the Hardcore THAW Charity Fundraiser
2016 - American Jewelry and Loan Expanded to Hazel Park
2021 - American Jewelry and Loan Expanded to Southgate and Lincoln Park

Books

2013 - For What It's Worth: Business Wisdom from a Pawnbroker
2015 - La saggezza degli affari (Italian Edition of For What It's Worth)

Family

Grandfather: Sam Gold
Wife: Lili Gold (Married in 1975)
Daughter: Ashley Broad (Born January 7, 1978)
Son: Seth Gold (Born February 23, 1981)

Source: Biyografiler.com