Local entrepreneurs Debbie and Lou Caperoon met one another in Greensburg years ago, and have since taken the city by storm.
The couple owns two businesses downtown, the Beach Tiki Bar and Grill and the recently established Dash for Cash pawn shop on the square.
Lou Caperoon moved to Indiana in 1992, from Florida. After working in Shelbyville at Classic Chevrolet, he met Debbie, who was working for PMI in Greensburg.
Their relationship flourished, and now includes three daughters. The oldest girl is Kasey, a marketing student at Indiana University. The other two are students at South Decatur Elementary School - Kadey, a sixth grader, and Kyley, who is in fifth grade.
With Debbie’s background in retail and Lou’s desire to open a business, the Caperoons soon merged their ideas and opened the pawn shop on U.S. 421.
The business ventures were a good way to make money, but for Lou and Debbie Caperoon, there were more important reasons.
Their middle daughter Kadey has suffered through growth hormone issues for most of her life, Debbie explained. The medication that she requires is expensive, and Lou noted that the businesses were a good way to supplement the income to help fund Kadey’s medicines and rehabilitation.
But business ownership has it downs, too. Earlier this year in June, the building that housed the Dash for Cash pawn shop on U.S. 421 was flooded and damaged. The impact on the business forced the Caperoons out of the soggy structure, but help from Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Darin Lucas made the situation tolerable. He pitched in to help.
“We were working 14 or 16 hour days then,” Debbie said.
The new Dash for Cash pawn shop opened on the square this summer, where customers are invited to come in to sell or buy many different goods.
“We’ve got a little bit of everything,” Lou said.
The original pawn shop was started in 2001.
“We’ve had our own business since 1996,” Lou added.
He noted that he did take a pay cut to start the business, but the freedom it gives both he and Debbie is welcome.
“I’d never want to go back to working for someone else,” Lou explained.
That kind of freedom has allowed them to stay closer to their children, though much of their time is spent working. The new business on the square will hopefully revitalize the downtown business.
“I know it’s been convenient for us,” Lou said.
Those who enter the shop will be greeted by the yellow cockatiel that calls the store home.
“She’s like our mascot,” Debbie said. “She’s been in the pawn shop since we got her.”
Providing a service to the people of Greensburg and helping them out when banks will not is a large part of the job Lou enjoys.
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