It's Just Life

  • Home
  • About
  • Comments for a Cause
  • Tea and Teapots
  • Books
  • Travel
  • Writing
  • Recipes
  • Products
July 31, 2015

For Gold to Pigs in a Blanket – Stan’s Has You Covered

22 Comments/ 4425/ 1

Earlier this year I lost a diamond out of my ring.  It was the second time I had lost a diamond out of that ring and I have since remedied what the problem seems to be with the design.  Chris and I had our rings redone for our 30th anniversary and I absolutely love the way our rings turned out BUT the big deal with mine was that I obviously could not handle having exposed prongs on the new design.  So now that is fixed with a different setting and life is good.

But losing a diamond is traumatic and I was majorly bummed about it as it was just one more thing in a string of bad experiences during a week.  My ring finger felt naked and when we were on a work road trip in April we found the perfect place to find an inexpensive band to wear in the meantime.stan2

Enter Stan’s Gold Mine Store and Pawn Shop located off of Wilder Road in Bay City, Michigan.  stan9We were in the area for a business trip and Chris “googled” local pawn shops thinking that would be a great place to find an inexpensive band.  We headed to Stan’s and had quite the time while we were there.

First of all there was this guy who greeted each customer as they entered the shop.  I wish I had taken a video because yes— there was some audio that went with him. stan4We met Don Stanley the owner who is a lovely gentleman who has had businesses in the area for 4o years.  To say that we had fun with him would be an understatement.  We talked and shared stories and got a great feel for the place and for what there was available.  He prides himself in having great customer service and darn good prices and as a large volume and wholesale to the public dealer he definitely has a loyal following.  He has a couple of jewelers right there on site so adjustments and appraisals are easy and quick.StanI found a ring that I liked, the price was right and we made the transaction easily. I obviously did not want to have anything flashy or pricey–just something that would make my naked finger feel clothed again. stan10 His daughter (let’s call her Stanette because I totally forgot to get her name) went online to show us some of the fun and unique commercials that they do with the local station  to promote their store.

You can imagine that we definitely had fun while we were here . But wait – like any good infomercial – there’s more!  stan7Right next door is Wheeler Dealer Pawn Shop which also is part of the Stan’s family of stores.  Here his daughter showed us a myriad of wonderful things just waiting to be purchased by any discerning buyer.  From Beanie Babies to exercise equipment it was all here.

stan5The pork lover in me loved the Original Appetizer maker for Pigs in a Blanket (and so much more) for only $15 but since I knew I needed to be downsizing I gave it a pass.

stan6You know I love any adventure along this road we call life and I can guarantee you that if you stop in at Stan’s Gold Mine Store and Wheeler Dealer Pawn Shop you will definitely have an adventure.  You can also check out their Facebook page here.  If you make it there make sure you tell him that I sent you and that I am glad he discouraged Mr. Diamond from buying that horrible ring for himself.  stan8Have you ever shopped at a similar place?  I would love to hear your stories in the comments section. Remember to Comment for a Cause.

Share:
Tags:
Bay City Don Stanley Michigan pawn shop Stan the Goldman Stan's Gold Mine Jewelry Store Wheeler Dealer Pawn Shop
← Previous Fashion Forward – Extraordinary Ideas for the Loo
Next → From Gardens to Songs and Bus Passes – Comments for a Cause Moves On

Related Articles

  • Shore Am Happy

  • A Perfectly Curated Library

  • On the Street NYC Style

  • “Talk Less. Smile More.”

  • Things to Love About New York City

22 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. treadlemusic
    July 31, 2015 at 06:34 am

    I have never been to a pawn shop and may have to change that in the near future! Looks like a fun diversion/experience!!!!

    Reply
  2. ozzieohlonemanthinktank
    July 31, 2015 at 06:48 am

    Quite a store.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      July 31, 2015 at 07:12 am

      Exactly. It was colorful!

      Reply
  3. Alicia Schmitt
    July 31, 2015 at 07:11 am

    So cool! Love the pigs in a blanket maker, I’ve never seen that before lol

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      July 31, 2015 at 07:12 am

      I know! I thought it was pretty fun looking but can totally understand why it was in the pawn shop. Imagine another appliance in the cupboard gathering dust like the fondue pot. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Jennifer Flaa (@JeniEats)
    July 31, 2015 at 07:54 am

    Pigs in a blanket party at your house!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      July 31, 2015 at 08:00 am

      If only I had bought it! Don’t forget the “and so much more” part. The sky is the limit.

      Reply
  5. donnahup
    July 31, 2015 at 08:40 am

    I had to have my ring fixed once and it is a terrible feeling. I bought a fake ring from Claire’s. It was like $5 but did the trick. That pawn shop looks fun!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      July 31, 2015 at 11:39 am

      Yep—my finger felt naked till I had something on it and the perfect little band to wear on the occasion that I don’t want to be wearing my diamonds is now in my possession!

      Reply
  6. Helen Brown
    July 31, 2015 at 08:53 am

    I hAVE NEVER BEN IN A PAWN SHOP BUT IT SOUNDS INTERESTING,

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      July 31, 2015 at 11:39 am

      They are all different but fun places to find things you might not find anywhere else.

      Reply
  7. Minnesota Prairie Roots
    July 31, 2015 at 09:23 am

    Never shopped at a place like this. But maybe I will now.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      July 31, 2015 at 11:38 am

      They usually hold a surprise around every corner. The jewelry / gold shop was pretty amazing. He had quite an inventory and we loved his stories. It’s always fun to step outside the normal shopping experience sometimes and get a different type of experience.

      Reply
  8. poemsandponderings
    July 31, 2015 at 09:34 am

    Unique find here Beth Ann. Nothing like the “Pawn Stars” on TV though huh?

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      July 31, 2015 at 11:37 am

      No, not quite like them but it was definitely a fun place to hang out. Stan made it a perfect stop.

      Reply
  9. Gibber
    July 31, 2015 at 12:14 pm

    So much fun!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      July 31, 2015 at 12:46 pm

      It was a fun time.

      Reply
  10. My Odd Family
    July 31, 2015 at 09:35 pm

    I don’t think I’ve ever been to a pawn shop. In Chicago they are pretty seedy. I need to find a friendly fun one!

    Reply
  11. pattisj
    August 05, 2015 at 11:45 pm

    I’ve only been in one, and was not impressed. It’s very different here. Or maybe Stan’s is unique.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      August 06, 2015 at 06:56 am

      I think they all probably have a “special” quality but Stan’s was very nice and and the staff was all top notch as well. But I know what you mean —pawn shops with bars on the windows and doors aren’t real attractive to me.

      Reply
  12. Josh Steiner
    August 06, 2015 at 09:55 am

    How funny, they sound like fun! When we first got married I was working in a restaurant, and up to my elbows in raw chicken and pork. Soon tiring of taking it off and on/ off/on/off/on I began wearing it on a chain around my neck while at work. Eventually one day I wasn’t at work and I felt my chain… NO RING!!! Oh no, I tore the house apart looking for the ring, which turned out it was on my finger… Lesson learned, it’s always on the chain now. But wait there’s more… Pigs in a blanket machine are you freaking kidding me, never needed or heard of one till now, but now I definitely need one!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      August 06, 2015 at 10:33 am

      Holy cow. That would be one of those moments when I would have just sat down and cried in relief I think! I can tell you where you can get that pigs in a blanket cooker. Genius, huh?

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

  • Subscribe To Rss Feed
  • 2,256 Followers
  • 2,272 Fans
  • Followers
  • Subscribers
  • Subscribers
  • Follow It's Just Life

Comments For A Cause

  • Comments for a Cause – Finding Balance

  • Comments for a Cause Keeps on Booking

  • Comments for a Cause – Reaching Out through El Centro

  • Comments for a Cause – It’s All About Women

  • Comments for a Cause – Weirdo Style

  • Ringing in 2023 with Comments for a Cause

  • Comments for a Cause – Conservation at Work

  • Comments for a Cause – A Hand Up. Not a Hand Out

  • Comments for a Cause- Operation KeepSafe® 

  • Comments for a Cause – September 2022

  • Comments for a Cause – More Literacy, Please!

  • Comments for a Cause – July 2022 Edition

  • Comments for a Cause- Giving to Uvalde

  • It’s May – Time for Comments for a Cause

  • Comments for a Cause – Reece’s Rainbow

Check Out My Past Posts

June 2023
S M T W T F S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  
« May    

Text

Follow

Pinterest

Visit Beth Ann's profile on Pinterest.

Beth's bookshelf: read

The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
5 of 5 stars
The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
by Guy Kawasaki
As always Guy Kawasaki has a great book with great information about all things social media. I highlighted tons of places in this book and it is definitely one that I will come back to time and time again to help me in all of the socia...
Old Girls in Low Cotton
3 of 5 stars
Old Girls in Low Cotton
by Helen Childress
This short book was one that looked like it would be a fun read. I honestly did not enjoy it all that much---it was a lot of characters bickering and while some of the writing was witty and funny it was not that kind of book that made m...
The Good Girl
5 of 5 stars
The Good Girl
by Mary Kubica
I loved this book! It had my interest from the very first page and was my "airplane" book on a recent trip. Author Mary Kubica created believable and interesting characters that the reader learned to identify with and care about. Mi...
All the Light We Cannot See
4 of 5 stars
All the Light We Cannot See
by Anthony Doerr
This is quite a book! I had it recommended to me by several people and while I thought it might be a little dark and depressing it made me have a better understanding of what life in this time period was like. The strength of the huma...
An Abundance of Katherines
5 of 5 stars
An Abundance of Katherines
by John Green
Another great book by John Green. I have become a huge fan of John Green since my reading of A Fault in our Stars and this book was another that did not disappoint me at all. It was a story of a child prodigy, a lot of anagrams, and a b...

goodreads.com

Professional Reader
Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Copyright © 2015 It's Just Life, All Rights Reserved.

  • Media Kit, Advertising and Disclosure
 

Loading Comments...