Cathy Allred

Sandwiched between the sign shop and Porter's Place Restaurant on 32 W. Main St. is a new business -- Deadwood Pawn & Mercantile.

"We really were trying to find something to fit the downtown area," said manager and Lehi resident Mike Anderson.

His son, Clayton Anderson, works alongside him at the shop Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Some of the more interesting pieces found at the establishment result from his father's pastime, shopping yard sales, bidding storage unit auctions and visiting estate sales.

"Boy, it can get addicting," Mike Anderson said. "We buy a lot of antique fishing reels."

He has an old Mitchell Garcia reel from the early 1960s in its original box, old split bamboo ice fishing rods and vintage lures.

The store, owned by Mike Anderson's friend Jeff Anderson, opened in June and is an interesting mix of antiques, rugged outdoor decor, sports equipment, jewelry, electronics and machinery.

There are also novelty items such as the authentic antique brass bird cage with two feathered "songbirds" hanging upside down on its swinging perch.

Unlike a pawn shop that typically appears to be the inside of a cluttered old garage or someone's attic, the place is tidy and in good order.

There are Coca Cola collectibles, a grandfather clock, antique railroad watches, "Brigham Young's Wife No. 19" by Anna Liza Young and published in 1857, and a Indiana Jones hat set on the corner of a shelf waiting for someone to claim it.

But Deadwood Pawn & Mercantile additionally is what its name says it is, a pawn shop.

"Basically, it's a contract between us and the customer that they have the right to buy [collateral items] back within 30 days," Mike Anderson said of their business.

They loan on ATVs, vehicles and motorhomes as well as anything else of value like electric guitars, cameras, tools. Clients must be 18, have valid state identification, be fingerprinted for the state data base, and be willing to work on a cash-only basis.

Because of the nature of their business, the Andersons also see some of the struggles their community goes through.

"We have people coming from Saratoga , they're getting a loan to pay for fuel," Mike Anderson said.

"They are, isn't that terrible," Jeff Anderson added.

Both Andersons recommend a pawn shop rather than a check cashing service which charges a high interest rate and withdraws automatically from the patron's bank account each payday.

"You're going to pay more at a check cashing place than a pawn," Jeff Anderson said. He said not only is their store a great place to shop for quality bargains, but it is also nice for someone who needs quick cash.

"You may loose the [collateral] item but it stops there," he said. "There is no credit check, just collateral."