Pawn shop owner helping bring area alive again

Tony Castro says the improvements at his pawn shop Northgate Plaza on North Davis Drive could help spur a revival in the old and fading area of Warner Robins.

Residence: Warner Robins

Occupation: Owner, Tony’s Pawn Shop

Q: You’ve completed a refurbishment project in part of one of Warner Robins’ old shopping centers: Northgate Plaza on North Davis Drive. What did you do?

A: I own Tony’s Pawn and the building it’s in, have since 2004. It used to be Wellston Pawn and I worked there since 1989. What I did was just try to make it better. Make it look better and more attractive for people to come to.

Q: Was it just sprucing up Tony’s or did you see a bigger picture?

A: I saw it for Tony’s and as development for the area. It’s been a dream of mine to clean up around here and help this neighborhood come more alive again. I’m a businessman and of course I want my business to do well, but I want this neighborhood to do well, too.

Q: So what did you do?

A: It was a big decision, but I decided to buy five spaces on my end of the shopping center, 13,000 square feet. I could have just retired and left it but it seemed like the right thing to do. Then I was able to get a matching grant through the Warner Robins Community Development Office to fix up the fronts. It was part of a Facade Grant Program where I put up matching money dollar for dollar.

Q: So your money bought the property and made some improvements and the facade grant paid for half of external improvements?

A: Right.

Q: What amounts?

A: A combined amount of about $130,000 I guess to do the facade. I probably invested $300,000 toward everything so far. The pawn shop is paying for it, it’s what’s making this work, but it’s really putting me in a cash flow bind.

Q: But you expect it to pay off?

A: I rolled the dice hoping it will be something I can leave my family, something that will better the area and be good for people that move in and do well because it’s a whole lot nicer. It was all mainly storage before and now two are occupied. I need to get the rest filled. Going into this, the city housing authority was tearing down homes behind us and we were expecting new homes to be built back and other development to happen. That’s at a standstill and it’s scary, but I think it will happen.

Q: You say the pawn shop is paying for redevelopment in a sense, but there was the grant money, correct?

A: Oh yeah, that was a big. Knowing I could get help made the difference. And I tell you, Sherri Windham at the community development office is great. She held my hand through the whole process getting the grant and making it happen.

Q: She said you were a good cooperative partner and just one of two who’ve gotten the facade grant. The other is Houston County Habitat for Humanity’s Restore at Habitat’s new facility on Watson Boulevard, right?

A: It’s a great thing. Things have got to happen in this part of Warner Robins and little by little I think they are. The municipal court is moving nearby, hopefully the planned development behind us will get off the back burner, I’ve seen people cleaning up a little over here and one of the grocery stores has remodeled. I think it’s becoming contagious and that’s what we need. I’m depending on it. I believe the people around here deserve it.

Q: But it’s not known as the best area, is it?

A: A few thugs give us a bad reputation but mostly people here are the lovingest in the world, people that will do anything for you. If my car breaks down there’s 30 people going to stop to help. That doesn’t happen everywhere. Most places you’d be walking home.

Q: You’re a Warner Robins native, does that add to the value you see in what you’re doing?

A: Yeah. I graduated Warner Robins High School in ’74 and I love the town and I love the people in this neighborhood. It’s a huge part of my life. It’s not just about the money though you have to make money to do this. If I break even, pay bills, keep things going and am able to help, that’s what matters. There’s nothing better than knowing you helped people and that’s part of our business. Among pawn shop owners I’m known as an easy touch but I put it in perspective like this: a guy came in, about 30 years old, and asked if I remembered him. I said I know your face but can’t say your name. He said when he was a kid his mom always shopped here and I used to help him out. He said he moved to Oklahoma when he was 13 and it was his first time back and he wanted to come see if we were still here and OK. I think that’s something. That’s not just business.

Q: So behind the dollars it’s a people thing to you? Really? And that’s part of the neighborhood redevelopment goals?

A: I mean, yeah, what else? I try to treat my customers well. Most you can, some you learn you can’t trust. But some will make you feel good for helping. A guy owed me $1,400 and kept getting further behind. I’d known him for years and — OK — I carried him. He finally came in and said he’d just gotten some kind of settlement and I was the first he wanted to pay back. He said we’d done more for him than friends or family and he grabbed me and told me he loved me. That warm feeling is like a drug to me. You get burned but that’s just one side. There’s value in people here. Fifteen years ago you’d be afraid to go to downtown Macon but now it’s great. That can happen here.

Q: Is that your dream?

A: Yeah. I’d like to see everybody in Warner Robins being able to stand side-by-side getting the most out of being here. But another big dream is for what I’m calling a gymnasium for musicians. I can’t play a lick but I love music and love our musicians. I dream one day to create a space young guys and older ones can practice and develop and work. Maybe do some performance. That’s a way I’d love to give back to our town.

This story was originally published June 24, 2017 at 2:10 PM with the headline "Pawn shop owner helping bring area alive again."