As most business owners know, the ever-changing landscape of the entrepreneurial journey is a rollercoaster ride. You either stay on the course of ups, downs, and loops or you simply hop off the attraction to go find something else.
Trevor Johnson has seen the changing landscape within the community, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Always adapting and keeping up with change, Johnson joined his family business at The Clock Shop & Presidential Pawn.
“It's cool to be a third-generation business owner and know that your family’s work has been here for over 50 years. We’re blessed to be where we are at,” said Johnson.
In the early 1980s, Johnson’s grandparents purchased a jewelry store where today’s Canvas 2 Paint stands. As more and more customers requested clocks to be fixed, they opened up The Clock Shop in 1986 where the boutique Decades resides. In 2001, Johnson’s parents purchased the clock store from his grandparents.
“It’s been a full circle to be sitting on my grandpa’s lap and helping fix clocks to now coming in to work and watching our customers experience the shop for the first time. You have no idea where life is going to take you when you’re growing up, and I’m glad it’s led me here,” said Johnson.
At its current location at 629 St. Joseph Street, The Clock Shop saw a shift in business when the 2008 recession began to affect the country’s economy. They started buying gold and silver, and eventually, in 2011, the Johnsons added a new arm to the clock store: Presidential Pawn.
“We bought some interesting things over the years, and my dad thought that a rotating display in the store to showcase the unique, rare, and one-of–a-kind items would be a nice addition,” explained Johnson.
This was the beginning of the world’s only Pawnseum.
From local treasures to national, museum-grade artifacts, the Pawnseum has a collection that has been covered in multiple news outlets and has been visited by countless people. It is the home to the largest undisputed gold nugget in existence from the Black Hills, Deadwood Dick’s pocket watch, Pawnzi–quite possibly the world’s smallest dog, early Michael Jackson and late Elvis Presley memorabilia, and even the Friendship 7 Periscope Lens.
“Some of the pieces would be considered Smithsonian pieces—they are museum grade artifacts,” said Cory Condon, the store’s manager. “It’s nice that, in the middle of South Dakota, you have museum-quality pieces to see.”
A lot of research goes into the individual pieces, and all of the exhibits have been purchased within their store. The Pawnseum has garnered attention from other renowned museums, experts in science and history, and even the occasional celebrity.
“We’ve got a lot of good customers,” said Condon. “We get locals that come in, and we get to meet all the people that come in for conventions or concerts and things. We've gotten quite a few regulars over the years that will come back and see us each time they’re in town.”
“We love downtown Rapid City,” added Johnson. “It’s just home.”
With new items coming through the store frequently, the displays and exhibits change. It has expanded from the floor to up the stairs and is free to the public. To learn more about The Clock Shop, Presidential Pawn, and the Pawenseum, visit presidentialpawnshop.com.
Check out more articles from the Elevate Rapid City Magazine - August Issue HERE!