Tara Kaminsky of EZ Pawn is a third generation pawn broker with her family being in the business since 1947 in New York City. The family’s foray into the industry began with her grandfather Martin Kaminsky, who opened Gem Pawnbrokers in Brooklyn. Eventually her father David Kaminsky started EZ Pawn in 1996 and now the business has expanded to 15 locations in NYC including Sunnyside, Queens, where there storefront is at the corner of 46th Street and Queens Boulevard.
Currently studying for her Gem Institute of America certification, Tara is passionate about gemology and truly enjoys sharing her knowledge with customers interested in jewelry at the storefront. She enjoys the symbolism behind the jewels and what each type means in different contexts and cultures. Jewelry that comes through EZ Pawn gets investigated by Tara and the business tries their best to document the history of each.
While this is her first year at the business, she has always helped out since she was young. She remember days when she would explore the inventory warehouse, looking for items. “There is always something unique in the pawn shop, hidden treasures,” Tara said. She divides her time between all the EZ Pawn locations. The Sunnyside storefront is known for their wide selection of jewelry, from eternity rings to jade necklaces. “Sunnyside has been great and continues to be one of my favorite spots to cycle through. The people are friendly here and there is good public spaces in the area,” she elaborates.
The spot is also well stocked with designer handbags and household goods and on our last visit, a bicycle, and portable generators. Make sure to check out the shop and see their variety of items.
If you are interested in pawning an item, such as jewelry, the business offers on-site appraisals and loan agreements. To learn more about their process, visit www.ezpawncorp.com/services. Follow Tara on social media via her Instagram @GoldieBaddie.
EZ Pawn is located at 45-21 Queens Blvd, Sunnyside, Queens, New York. For all branch locations and hours, please visit www.ezpawncorp.com.
