Les Gold Net Worth - Pulptastic
What is Les Gold’s net worth and Salary?
Les Gold, the third-generation pawnbroker and charismatic patriarch of American Jewelry and Loan, has a net worth of $5 million. He gained fame for his appearances on the TruTV reality series “Hardcore Pawn.”
Les Gold’s Background and Career
Leslie (Les) Gold was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 20, 1950. He comes from a family of pawnbrokers, as his grandfather had owned a pawnshop called “Sam’s Loans” in Detroit. At the age of seven, Les made his first sale at his grandfather’s shop. When he was 12, he started his own business selling pizza slices to his classmates at The Hebrew School in Michigan. In 1978, Les opened his first pawn shop, American Jewelry and Loan, at the Green Eight Shopping Center on 8 Mile Road in Oak Park, Michigan. In 1993, he moved the store to its current location, a former bowling alley on Greenfield Road in Detroit.
Les Gold and American Jewelry and Loan
Les Gold is the owner of American Jewelry and Loan, a family-owned pawn shop. The store has five locations across Michigan, employing around 200 people. Gold’s children are also employed at the store, with his son Seth serving as general manager and daughter Ashley as assistant manager.
In 2009, Gold launched the reality show “Hardcore Pawn” on TruTV, which focuses on the day-to-day operations of his pawn shop. The show has been accused of being a knock-off of “Pawn Stars,” but Gold defends it as a more realistic portrayal of a pawn shop. Some scenes have also been speculated to be staged, but Gold denies any staging.
Despite the controversy, “Hardcore Pawn” has been successful, becoming TruTV’s most-watched premiere in history with 2 million viewers. Gold hopes that one day his children will take over the family business.
Gold’s Book and Philanthropy Work
Les Gold published his first book, an autobiography titled “For What It’s Worth: Business Wisdom from a Pawnbroker,” in June 2013. The book, published by Penguin/Portfolio, chronicles his successful establishment of a pawn shop and provides advice for people in the field. In the “How-To” category, the book reached #4 on the New York Times Best Seller List on June 30th, 2013. The following month, it achieved number 8 in the Hardcover Business Books category.
Aside from his business ventures, Gold is also an active supporter of The Heat and Warmth (THAW) Fund, an organization that assists local families in need with paying their electricity and heat bills. He has been known to host fundraisers at his store, including the “Hardcore THAW” party in February 2013 that raised over $40k for THAW.
Marriage of Les Gold
Les Gold has been married to his wife Lilli Gold since 1975.
