How do you run a business that has a deep connection to its customers?  

For over 70 years, Chicago Pawners & Jewelers has known the answer. 

Located on Chicago’s West Side, Chicago Pawners & Jewelers is a third-generation, family-owned pawn shop and retail jeweler run by Paul and David Lebovitz, who have made it a trusted place for customers to buy, sell, or find support in life’s most challenging financial moments.

Through quick loans and one-of-a-kind engagement rings, the Lebovitz family has created a business that’s part financial service, part retail destination, and stands as a community anchor.

If you’re just starting your retail career or trying to build something that lasts, here are seven lessons in retail you can learn from the people behind one of Chicago’s most respected small businesses.

1. Let Curiosity Lead

Before he was a co-owner of Chicago Pawners & Jewelers, Paul spent his Saturdays and summers working behind the counter for his father. At the time, it was just something he did while in school. After graduating from college, he left to work at a computer company only to realize that he missed the personal energy and unpredictability of retail. That pull brought him back to the family business, where he’s now worked for more than 30 years.

Similarly, David didn’t expect to follow in the same footsteps. But after joining the store post-college, he quickly found meaning in helping others and relieving financial stress for people in his community. He now helps manage day-to-day operations while also learning from his uncle and father.

“I didn’t realize I was going to do this one day, but then it kind of became obvious that I would be,” David shared.

Both stories reveal something many overlook: retail careers aren’t always mapped out; they’re often discovered through experience.

To nurture long-term potential in your team members, expose them to various business areas, including sales, service, and inventory. When someone finds a task they’re curious about, lean into that interest. As Chicago Pawners & Jewelers proves, even a part-time helper can grow into a next-generation owner. This is one of the most enduring retail career lessons: give people room to grow.

2. Build a Business That Outlives a Zip Code

Chicago Pawners & Jewelers began in a West Side neighborhood of Chicago that, at the time, was facing significant economic disinvestment. In those early years, most of their customer base lived just a few blocks away.

Today, as the area has gentrified, the store’s customer base has shifted. People now travel from across the city to visit the shop. Despite the demographic change, the Lebovitz family has maintained their commitment to fairness, transparency, and providing fast financial help to anyone who walks through their doors.

Neighborhoods change, but retailers who commit to accessibility, trust, and community service can stay relevant across generations and zip codes. To achieve this kind of longevity, focus on creating consistent, judgment-free experiences for every customer. Build relationships by being transparent about pricing and policies, offer flexible services that meet real community needs, and show up in moments that matter. When your store stands for something more than the sale, people will keep coming back, no matter how the neighborhood evolves. 

3. Trust Is a Retailer’s Greatest Asset

Pawn shops are often misunderstood. For Paul and David, building and maintaining customer trust is what’s kept Chicago Pawners & Jewelers in business for over 70 years.

From day one, the family has worked to break negative stereotypes by offering a transparent, secure, and respectful experience to every customer who walks through the door. In a business that often serves people during vulnerable financial moments, trust is a necessity.

Here’s how they build it daily:

• Upload every transaction to local law enforcement. Every pawned item is entered into a police-monitored database, helping verify items and deter theft. This is something customers are often surprised (and reassured) to learn.
• Authenticate high-value items on the spot. Staff are trained to spot counterfeits and educate customers about the real market value of their items.
• Store all items securely onsite or in protected warehouses. Unlike many shops that ship items offsite, Chicago Pawners & Jewelers keeps everything in-house or in a nearby facility, giving customers peace of mind.
• Treat every customer with dignity and discretion. No matter what brings someone in (a loan, a sale, or just a question), they’re met with respect, not judgment.

Building trust in retail means creating processes that protect customers, honor their needs, and prove you’re on their side. To foster this kind of credibility in your own store, consider making your policies visible, training staff on authenticity and service, and offering secure handling of customer-owned items. The more trust you build behind the scenes, the more loyalty you’ll earn on the floor.

4. Serve a Purpose Bigger Than the Sale

At first glance, Chicago Pawners & Jewelers may look like a traditional pawn shop, but for many customers, it’s a lifeline during financial uncertainty. 

This kind of purpose-driven retail requires empathy, quick decision-making, and the ability to assign real value to people’s personal items both monetarily and emotionally. 

Retail success is about solving real problems. When you center your business around meeting real-life needs, you’re actively making a difference in someone’s life. In doing so, you earn something much more valuable: trust, repeat business, and a lasting impact on your community.

5. Build Relationships That Outlast the Transaction

In a retail world increasingly focused on speed and scale, Chicago Pawners & Jewelers has taken the opposite approach. They’ve built a business where customers feel seen, respected, and known. Many of their customers greet Paul and David by name, share life updates, and refer family members to the shop.

This level of loyalty is the result of years of personal investment in the customer experience.

Here’s how Chicago Pawners & Jewelers builds those generational bonds:

• Take time to listen. Whether someone’s pawning an item or just browsing, the team treats every interaction as an opportunity to connect.
• Remember names and stories. Regular customers are recognized, welcomed back, and often remembered by their family ties or past visits.
• Stay consistent. Decades of fair, respectful service have made the store a dependable constant even as the neighborhood changed around them.

Long-term retail success is about building meaningful relationships. By showing up consistently, treating people like individuals, and valuing community over quick wins, your store becomes a trusted part of your customers’ lives. This is one of the most overlooked yet essential lessons in retail relationship-building.

6. Stay Flexible to Stay in Business

Retail isn’t static, and neither is the inventory at Chicago Pawners & Jewelers. Over the years, Paul and David have built a shop that defies expectations, handling everything from high-end diamond rings and designer handbags to musical instruments, electronics, and even a taxidermied lion. If there’s value in an item and a customer who needs to sell it, they’ll find a way to work with it.

This kind of adaptability is a novelty and a survival strategy. As customer needs shift and as the retail landscape evolves, the ability to think creatively about inventory, pricing, and services has helped Chicago Pawners & Jewelers remain relevant in a changing city and economy. They don’t limit themselves to a single product category or customer type. 

In retail, flexibility is both smart and essential. By embracing new products and staying responsive to your customers’ evolving needs, you keep your store fresh, engaging, and ready for what’s next. It’s how Chicago Pawners & Jewelry has stayed ahead for decades and how your store can, too.

7. Teach Respect First, Products Second

At Chicago Pawners & Jewelers, product knowledge matters, but people skills come first. The Lebovitz family knows that many customers walk through the door under pressure, facing tight deadlines or emotional decisions. That’s why they take pride in understanding the value of merchandise and how to deliver calm, nonjudgmental, and compassionate service in high-stakes moments.

Their goal is to make people feel safe, respected, and never embarrassed about their situation.

Here’s how that looks in practice, based on how Paul and David describe their team’s training:

• Stay calm when tensions rise. Employees are taught not to escalate frustration, especially when customers are anxious or under stress.
• Don’t make assumptions. Team members avoid judging customers based on appearance, items, or urgency, understanding that anyone can need help.
• Offer support with discretion. They handle each transaction respectfully, knowing that someone pawning a personal item may be in a difficult spot.
• Educate without condescension. Staff explain processes simply and values clearly, giving customers confidence in what’s happening and why.

This kind of training builds trust, loyalty, and a store culture people want to return to.

In retail, emotional intelligence is as important as any product manual. By teaching your team to lead with respect, you create an environment where customers feel valued and served. That’s the kind of experience they won’t forget.

Conclusion

Retail is about sales, but mostly about service. At Chicago Pawners & Jewelers, every ring, every TV, every conversation represents trust, survival, and relationships that last.

If you’re looking to build a meaningful retail career or a business with staying power, start by remembering what the Lebovitz family has proven for 70 years: retail blossoms when it puts people first.

If you loved learning about Chicago Pawners & Jewelers and know a retailer who deserves recognition, Nominate A Retailer!