I never counted the pawn shops in Uptown, but my impression is that they were almost as numerous as bars in the mid-1970s when I was taking this series of pictures. You can see both in this image at 1022 West Wilson. People used the pawn shops as a way to get from paycheck to paycheck. The shop would loan people money on things of value, such as jewelry. When customers repaid the loan, they could retrieve the collateral. If they didn’t, the shop sold it. Note the air conditioner in the wall next door. Few people in Uptown could afford air conditioning in this era; it helped lure customers into the bar. Enlargement of the image will show an old coat or blanket shoved into the gap above Mr. Lucky’s AC, to help seal it.
