Cost of living causes some in the Heartland to sell family treasures

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - The high cost of food and gas is leading families to search for money to pay bills.

Some of those parting with some of their family treasures to make ends meet.

“We’re running out of space in the back.”

Tools, weights, televisions, crossbows, guitars, and much more are finding their way to DASH Pawn in Cape Girardeau, but for reasons you may or may not expect.

The Repollo’s say they are seeing families come in to sell.

“Lately with inflation and gas so high right now, and the pandemic, uhm there’s an increase of customers.”

With families coming in, they’ve started provide games and candy for the kids.

“A lot of people bring in their precious metals, like this, and uhm going through their savings, and selling it for their basic needs, gas, foods, and a lot of adult who are retired also bringing in their tools their guns and stuff to sell for food because a lot of them said social security is not enough for their needs.”

Mrs. Repollo says that transactions aren’t always a simple exchange: “I have a lot of people come in here crying because it’s hard for them to let go a lot of their stuff, especially their inheritance, their jewelry, that they inherit from their parents so it’s really heartbreaking.”

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