Media

About Traders Loan and Jewelry:

Traders Loan & Jewelry is the oldest pawn shop in the San Fernando Valley, serving clients for over 60 years with honesty, professionalism, and a friendly attitude. When the prior owners were looking to sell in 1997, they approached Douglas Taylor, who has 30 years of experience in jewelry design, manufacturing and repair and studied at the Gemological Institute of America Inc., and his wife Diane, whose resume included an extensive retail background along with a degree in Marketing and Merchandising and years of experience as an area manager for Mervyns and a retail buyer for Robinsons May.

Traders Loan & Jewelry grants loans against collateral, offers onsite appraisals, sells new and pre-owned merchandise, designs and creates custom jewelry, and repairs watches and jewelry.

Founded in 1954, Traders Loan & Jewelry is proud of its 60 years of service to the community. “We help people of every socio-economic level, whether they need money for closing costs on their homes, to cover payroll for their businesses, to safely store their valuables or when they need cash for other reasons,” says Diane. “We’re happy to be there for people when they need us.”

Diane often refer to the store, a non-recourse lender that doesn’t report to credit bureaus due to loan defaults, as “the people’s bank” because loans are based on the item and not the person. Unlike secondhand dealers, pawn shops allow customers to borrow money against the value of an item, and at Traders Loan & Jewelry 95 percent of customers redeem their items.

Today’s pawnbrokers are regulated by local, state and federal agencies and abide by the same laws as other financial institutions, and all transactions are monitored by law enforcement, making pawning an easy and trusted alternative for obtaining a loan. Collateralized and confidential loans can be granted at Traders Loan & Jewelry in minutes, without the delay working with many traditional lending institutions.

Additionally, Traders Loan & Jewelry offers a unique selection of high-quality watches, precious gems, wedding bands and other stunning jewelry, coins, musical instruments and more, at prices far below retail. All items are guaranteed.

Diane Taylor is a trusted pawn expert and the owner of Traders Loan & Jewelry, the oldest pawn shop in the San Fernando Valley. Purchased by Diane and her husband Douglas in 1998, the 60-year-old establishment grants loans against collateral, offers onsite appraisals, sells new and pre-owned merchandise, and designs, creates and repairs jewelry. Diane, who continues to run the business, also serves as the current president of the California Pawnbrokers Association (CAPA) and sits on the board of the National Pawnbrokers Association (NPA). She has been featured in National Pawnbroker and was nominated for CFO of the year by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal in 2013. Diane is frequently called upon by the media to share her expertise on the pawn industry.

Born in Hollywood, California, Diane Taylor grew up in and around the area. After graduating from high school, Diane earned her A.A. in Marketing & Merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles. Upon receiving her degree, Diane quickly worked her way up in retail, soon becoming an area manager for Mervyns. Several years later, Diane moved on to work for Robinsons/May as a buyer, and she opened a retail store in the Antelope Valley, continuing to build upon her growing background in business and retail.

Diane’s transition from retail to pawn brokering was unexpected. In 1997, Diane’s husband Douglas, who has 30 years of experience in jewelry design, manufacturing and repair and studied at the Gemological Institute of America Inc., was presented with the opportunity to purchase Traders Loan & Jewelry. He knew he would need Diane’s retail background and head for business to run the store, and they purchased Traders Loan & Jewelry together. Soon after, Diane’s drive for learning all about her new pawn business and passion for helping people led her to become a leader in the pawn industry.

“One of my greatest joys comes from being able to help people,” says Diane. “Pawn shops are a very important part of the communities in which they serve and these establishments help people every day.”

 

Today, Diane is a trusted pawn expert who educates police departments, government officials and the public about pawn shops and the services these establishments provide to communities throughout the U.S.

“Pawn shops are the people’s bank. We are a non-recourse lender (meaning we don’t report to credit agencies) and we grant loans based on the item, not the person: we help people from every socio-economic level, whether or not they have a bank account, job, or have good or bad credit,” says Diane, who continues to reside in Southern California with her husband, where she enjoys spending time with their adult children, scrapbooking and traveling.

A sampling of Diane Taylor of Traders Loan and Jewelry media interview and features:

Radio interviews featuring Diane Taylor of Traders Loan and Jewelry as a guest: