Our Story
I grew up in a pawn shop. My dad started Capitol Loans in Seattle, and some of my earliest memories are behind that counter — watching him appraise jewelry, shake hands with regulars, and run a business built on trust.
I've always had a fondness for this industry. Pawn shops serve real people in real ways that banks won't. But the software? It hasn't kept up. The tools pawn shops rely on were built decades ago, and the biggest players care more about locking you in than helping you grow.
I studied Data Science at UC Berkeley — but I never forgot where I came from. When I saw PawnMaster get shut down and shops forced into software they hate, I knew it was time to build something better.
Every industry is being transformed by AI and modern technology. Pawn shops shouldn't be left behind — they should be leading the charge. The data you generate every day is incredibly valuable. The right software doesn't just manage your shop — it makes you smarter, faster, and more profitable.
PawnSight is built by someone who grew up in this business, for the people who run it every day. It's time to bring pawn shops into the AI era — not someday, right now.
— Michael Chandler, Founder