Liberty Pawn Shop

In 1945, Russian immigrants William Asofsky (1910-1971) and Rose Berg (1909-1992) married in Passaic, New Jersey. By 1947, the couple had moved to Sumter, South Carolina, where they opened Philadelphia Shoe Store, which specialized in Army and Navy surplus, as well as uniforms and equipment for servicemembers at nearby Shaw Air Force Base. By 1952, William and Rose had renamed the store Liberty Pawn Shop and updated their inventory to include jewelry, tools, cameras, electronics, sporting equipment, firearms, musical instruments, luggage, and other merchandise. After William’s death in 1971, Rose operated the pawn shop for another year before closing it.