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Cajun Pawn Stars TV Series on the History Channel
Filmed at the Silver Dollar Pawn & Jewelry Center The History Channel announced in December of 2011 a new television series to take place in Alexandria, Louisiana. "Cajun Pawn Stars" will feature Alexandria's Silver Dollar Pawn & Jewelry Center, and its owner Jimmie DeRamus and his family-owned business. Fourteen 30-minute episodes of Cajun Pawn Stars have been ordered, and the first episode aired January 8, 2012. Cajun Pawn Stars is being produced for the History Channel by Leftfield Pictures. The show is a spinoff of sorts from the popular History Channel Pawn Stars TV series filmed in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pawn Stars has appeared on the History Channel for five seasons and featured more than 100 episodes, focusing on the historical items and the stories in the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. The family-owned business is led by Rick Harrison, his father Richard, and son Corey.
Cast of Characters in Cajun Pawn Stars Jimmie DeRamus has been in the pawn business for nearly three decades, and is described as a virtual "walking encyclopedia" of knowledge about valuable and historic collectibles, and antiques. He has served as President of the Louisiana Pawn Brokers Association for many years, and one of five members of the Association that helped rewrite Louisiana pawn laws.
The DeRamus family lineage includes French and Cajun history, to be explored in some of the series scripts. In addition to Jimmie, also known as "Big Daddy", featured on the show are DeRamus' daughter Tammie and his younger brother Johnnie, and his wife Peggy. Several employees of the store are also featured on screen. These Louisiana bayou pawn brokers include Robby Friend, Walt Piper, Tina Journet, and Fred "Yankee" Howell. Other local "stars" in the show include a variety of customers and buyers including "quirky local characters". One character is known as "The Joker," appearing in episodes such as "Joker's Wild" and "Joker's Big Score." Also seen are area antique appraisers and history experts including Dale Genius of the Louisiana History Museum in Alexandria. About the Silver Dollar Pawn Shop Silver Dollar Pawn Shop is one of the largest pawn shops in the South. The 20,000-square-foot store houses more than 100,000 items, and is an attraction for school and tourist bus tours. The main room alone displays more than 43,000 items of inventory. Among the more popular items are Hollywood memorabilia, autographs, old coins, collectible firearms, antiques, and of course jewelry. Silver Dollar Pawn Shop's address in Alexandria is 2417 Lee Street, at its intersection with Masonic Drive near Alexandria City Park, and across the street from Fire Station Number Four. It is just a few blocks from Alexandria's famous Hokus Pokus Liquor store and its iconic neon sign. Silver Dollar can be found on the web at http://silverdollar-alexandria.com and reached at telephone number 318.487.6005, or toll-free 888.945.3168. See map below for details of the location of the Silver Dollar Pawn Shop in Alexandria. Filming Locations
In addition to filming inside the store on Lee Street, some episodes are filmed on location at Kent Plantation House on Bayou Rapides Road, the Alexandria Zoo, Fort Buhlow Airport, and at various locales, subdivisions, lakes, and farms around Alexandria and Rapides Parish. Other episodes will feature nearby Louisiana parishes such as Avoyelles, Grant and LaSalle. Cajuns in Alexandria The descendants of French refugees who were forced out of Acadia in Canada in the 18th century and ended up in Louisiana were known as "Acadians", later shortened to "Cajuns". They are known for their resiliency, self-reliance, distinctive music, and vibrant culture. And don't forget the fine Cajun cuisine and dishes like seafood gumbo, Boudin, Andouille sausage, Crawfish Etouffee, Crawfish Bisque, Crawfish Jambalaya, or maybe even fried alligator! Most of Louisiana's "Cajun Country" is situated in South Louisiana, and often Alexandria represents the demarcation line between the South and North sections of Louisiana. Yet Alexandria has a strong Cajun history and maintains a Cajun flavor. I clearly remember Cajun French being spoken by my father and others in barber shops, coffee shops and other places around Alexandria as recently as the 1960s. Many of my friends and classmates were from Cajun and French families like LaFleur, Guillory, Fruge, Fremin, Juneau, Mayeaux, Plauche, Rabalais, Soileau, Gauthier, and Bordelon. And small towns nearby Alexandria like Marksville, Ville Platte, Mansura, Hessmer, Plaucheville, Mamou and dozens of other communities retain a definite Cajun lifestyle to this day. So ... "Cajun Pawn Stars" in Alexandria? It works!
Other Louisiana Reality TV Shows
The History Channel currently hosts another hit show filmed in Louisiana, "Swamp People". Shreveport in North Louisiana is the locale for "Bayou Billionaires", "Billy the Exterminator", and "My Big Redneck Vacation". Another Louisiana city, Baton Rouge, has received attention as the location of Red Jacket Firearms, the subject of the popular "Sons of Guns" TV series on the Discovery Channel. Read more about Louisiana reality TV shows at Louisiana-Destinations.com
Cajun Pawn Stars Episodes
Related Articles and Resources
Other Websites about Alexandria and Louisiana
Distance and Directions from the Silver Dollar Pawn & Jewelry Center to AEX Airport The Silver Dollar Pawn & Jewelry Center is located about 8 miles southeast of
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