Shopping for Scrap Trip: Detroit

I posted a day or two ago about where to go find scrap metal. After some research, I went on a run around Southfield and Detroit, MI. Here is the adventure:

1) Started by going to two Salvation Army stores. I hunted for brass mainly and electrical cords. At both stores I found nothing remarkable. In fact, most of the prices for brass items (magnet tested) were too high vs. the actual value in weight. No deals were found at either store. I inquired about buying broken TV's/appliances/computers/etc. Sadly, the supervisor told me they generally ship electronics/cords to other stores to see if they could be used. Almost bought 30lbs worth of weights (the ones that go on a bench, with no bar or anything) but the price was a little too steep after checking what current steel price was. Found nothing in the two stores I visited.

2) I then went to American Jewelry and Loan (home of the TV show Hardcore Pawn). No TV crews today. Spying no brass in the store, I asked the electronics department what they did with broken merchandise. SURPRISE!!! They apparently have guys there who scrap items that are not sale-able, which is actually pretty smart. Left AJ&L with nothing, and no claim to fame on TV. (By the way, they actually have a "I got kicked out of AJ&L" photo stand where you can have your picture taken)

3) Drove around looking for pawn shops. Drove down 8 mile, surprisingly found none. Went down Woodward Ave, nothing. Finally pulled out my smartphone and asked it where one was. The phone listed nothing but shops a good 20 miles away, save one close to my house. I went there. Store was thinly stocked. Talked to the girl who was working at the time, and all she could find was a small pile of trash with: a light up picture, some computer parts, and cords. I could only estimate everything to about $2 value and bought it all for $0.50. Whatever, I was there. The GOOD news is, she told me to stop by next Friday and she would save some things for me, and check with the 14 other pawn shops around Metro Detroit. CONTACT MADE!



So I spent $0.50 for $2 worth of scrap and made a contact, over the course of an hour. Lost money on the day in gas but the contact could prove to pay dividends later. We shall see!

Im just surprised no place I went today had broken merchandise we could negotiate over. I would have gladly paid $1/TV, $.50/lb in cords, etc. but I guess if you have nothing broken, you must have good employees. Hopefully the contact with this pawn shop will pay off in a week!