Plan commission gives thumbs up on pawnshop ban

The La Grange Plan Commission tonight voted unanimously to recommend that pawnshops be prohibited from operating in the village's central business districts.

The proposed ban was one of several amendments to the downtown zoning ordinance backed by commissions after hearing testimony from residents and business owners in a lengthy public hearing.

Click here to access audio excerpts of testimony and deliberations from the plan commission's public hearing.

Comments

[Martin]

I am so glad on the ban of pawn shops!!! We do not need pawn shops in La Grange!!! I was very suprised to see the sign in the window saying All Star Jewelry and Pawn Shop coming soon! Thank you for banning it!!!

[Kathleen]

I would have also been SURPRISED to see a sign in the window saying All Star Jewelry and Pawn Shop. Want to know why I would have been SURPRISED? Because that was never the name of the business nor the name on the sign. It was All-Star Jewelry and Loan.

They have not yet banned pawn shops, that decision will come on July 13th. Either way, LaGrange should have made a decision on whether or not pawn shops would be allowed long before Mr. Grayson received a busniess license for a pawn shop. That's quite hypocritical on La Grange's part.

Also, sounds like this could be racially motivated. Maybe we can get Jesse Jackson on Mr. Grayson's side? Or maybe LaGrange can stop being so pompous and realize that pawn shops can be a help to the community, not a hinder. Give the man an honest chance. If no one wants to do business at his shop, no one will and he'll be run out of town anyways.

[Juss]

" If no one wants to do business at his shop, no one will and he'll be run out of town anyways. "

By that logic there should be a strip club opening up on Harris Avenue any day now.

[tungsten carbide ring]

When it comes to a jewelry i am interested on a pawnshop,and thank you so much for bringing up this.

rhianne

[Kathleen]

Well, with La Grange's way of doing business and treating its potential business owners, a license may quite possibly be given for a strip club. But, within weeks, all those nervous politicians will scramble around feverishly trying to figure out someway for it to just all go away. Then just like that, "poof", the business license will get revoked. So, I don't think a strip club will be opening up any day now, but watch out for signs in windows!

Plus, a strip club isn't exactly comparable to a pawn shop. I would think a pawn shop would be more comparable to a resale shop. But, resale shops are just fine with LaGrange. No one brings stolen goods there. Well, at least not to their knowledge! Ignorance is bliss, I suppose.