FARMINGTON – Preparing to open a pawn shop on Front Street, Cory Boyker will bring the idea before the Planning Board at its meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, at the Municipal Building.

Boyker hopes to open Pawnsters by the end of February in a space at Front Street Exchange. The space is above the Thai Smile and Sushi Restaurant.

At times, Boyker, 26, of Farmington, has purchased items from his tenants, who are looking for help in coming up with their rent. He often sells the items through online sale sites such as Craigslist.

The shop will feature more than people’s items. He will also buy and trade items. There will be a little bit of everything, from jewelry to jet skis, from dolls to fishing equipment. Electronics are always big items, he said. There will be stocked retail shelves for people to browse.

While securing signage and necessary licensing, he’s already getting calls from a poster outside the store, announcing the proposed opening, he said. He’s also buying items from storage units and auctions for the shop.

He’s not dealing with guns, since he doesn’t have the licensing needed, he said.

Joel Parlin of Farmington will do the appraisal of items, something he’s developed a skill at doing, Parlin said. One other employee, Justin Richard, also of Farmington, will help man the pawn and retail shop.

The plan is for a traditional pawn shop, which will provides money for items held over a period of time for interest, and the shop will take ownership without payment. It’s also one that will make use of modern technology and social media marketing.

While Boyker previously lived in Florida, he actively bought and sold items over Internet sites, he said. That will continue with items placed on eBay and Craigslist, as well as books on Amazon, he said.

A website, www.farmingtonpawnsters.com, is being developed for the shop and items will be displayed online. Text messages will be sent when payments are due and will also be used to update customers on new inventory so they can check out the website, he said.

As part of the town’s code enforcement criteria, the shop must be approved by the Planning Board, chief of police and fire chief. Boyker must also submit an inventory of sales to police every month. Any discovered stolen items will go back to their owners, he said.

Boyker also owns rentals in Florida, Farmington and Jay under the business name Horizon Gate Properties.

More information is available at 491-1514.

 abryant@sunjournal.com

The website address was changed since the article was printed.

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