Rick Harrison

Richard Kevin Harrison (born March 22, 1965) is an American businessman, reality television personality, and owner of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop which is featured on the History series Pawn Stars. Harrison and his father, Richard Benjamin Harrison, opened the shop in 1989, which they co-owned until his father's death in 2018. Early life Rick Harrison was born on March 22, 1965, in Lexington, North Carolina, the son of Richard Benjamin Harrison Jr., a U.S. Navy veteran, and Joanne Rhue Harrison. Harrison is the younger brother of Sherry Joanne Harrison (died at age 6), and Joseph Kent Harrison, and the older brother of Chris Harrison. According to Harrison's son Corey, his grandfather stated that they are related to U.S. President William Henry Harrison. Harrison has indicated that he does not give much credence to this idea, although Harrison's father stated the family is distantly related to Benjamin Harrison, a grandson of William Henry Harrison. In 1967, when Harrison was two years old, his father was transferred to San Diego, California, where the family relocated. As a child, Harrison began having epileptic seizures at age eight. As a result, he spent much of his time in bed which led to a lifelong love of books and reading in general. He became particularly enamored of a series of books by John D. Fitzgerald called The Great Brain, whose main character, a ten-year-old Utah con artist named Tom D. Fitzgerald with the ability to conjure up money-making schemes, greatly influenced Harrison. Harrison was also fascinated with physics and history, his favorite area of historical study being the Royal Navy from the late 1700s to the early 1800s. Harrison attended Taft Middle School, which is part of the San Diego Unified School District, but dropped out during tenth grade to pursue his "$2,000-a-week business of selling fake Gucci bags".