By Chris OrletRecord Managing EditorWright City is officially open for pawn shop business.Last Thursday the board passed an ordinance that will, for the first time, allow pawn shops in the city. The ordinance was followed by an amendment that confines the shops to C-4 commercial districts.Many of the strip malls located on Interstate-70 are already zoned C-4, but the designation is not used in the downtown business district.City Clerk Christine Martin said that recently the city had an inquiry by a prospective pawnbroker. “We looked at the city code and realized we didn’t have anything regarding pawn shops,” she said.City Attorney Paul Rost, who is also the city attorney of Wentzville, modeled the new ordinance after Wentzville’s pawnbroker ordinance. The ordinance incorporates Missouri state statute language concerning pawnbrokers. And the new law allows the city to license and regulate pawnbrokers and those dealing in jewelry, coins and other precious metals.Martin said the new ordinance places a lot of restrictions on prospective pawnbrokers. Pawn shops are regulated by the state of Missouri and by the federal government. Among the restrictions: Applicants must not have a felony or misdemeanor conviction related to the duties and responsibilities of the occupation of pawnbroker, including receiving stolen goods, theft, burglary, embezzlement, forgery, gambling and bribery among other crimes. Applicants must undergo a background check. Pawnbrokers are required to keep a computerized register of all items pawned at each shop, and must provide access to police. Pawnbrokers must keep books and records, including photographs, of transactions for at least two years. Additionally, interest on loans cannot exceed 2 percent per month. And pawnbrokers cannot accept a pledge from a minor.Despite the new ordinance, Wright City will not have a pawn shop for the foreseeable future.“The person who was interested in opening a pawn shop has since withdrawn his application,” Martin said.Pawn Shops Ok'd in Wright City