Summary
- Chumlee continues to be a major figure on Pawn Stars, with various business ventures and a spin-off show.
- Chumlee's candy store, Chumlee's Candy On The Blvd., appears to be open, and gets positive reviews.
- Despite legal troubles, Chumlee is alive and well in 2024, after undergoing a dramatic weight-loss transformation.
Pawn Stars features cast member Austin “Chumlee” Russell - he's been busy since filming the popular series, and there are plenty of facts to share about what he's doing now. The Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas has had some drama over the last decade, making it one of the best reality TV shows of a bygone era. Chumlee, who's consistently been one of the most well-known Pawn Stars cast members, is the only main series star who isn't a part of the Harrison family.
While he may not be related to the Harrisons by blood, he's still a massive part of the show’s long-term success.
Since the show's 2009 premiere, Chumlee has stood out as a central Pawn Stars figure. The series features the actual workings of the Pawn Stars 24-hour pawn shop. It's decidedly unique, and the series has always gotten a lot of attention. Chumlee, whose friendship with Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison dates back to childhood, got involved with the business when he was young. He brought a lot of charm to the show, but Chumlee's had to deal with issues on and off the series.
There were even rumors (thankfully, false) that Chumlee had passed away.
Chumlee From Pawn Stars Is Doing Well
Chumlee's Bad Boy Antics Were A Big Surprise
Despite legal issues, Chumlee is alive and well in 2024. The Pawn Stars icon has gotten in trouble with the law over the years, so it was easy to assume he was doing poorly. Chumlee was arrested in 2016 after his apartment was searched during a sexual assault investigation. The police found drugs and guns in his home. Many of the weapons were unregistered, and he ultimately had to surrender the firearms. He was ordered to stay clean and follow other rules until 2019.
Chumlee did keep himself out of trouble, and the charges against him were eventually downgraded to misdemeanors, which remained on his public record.
Pawn Stars' Chumlee Owned A Candy Shop
Google Lists Chumlee's Pawn Shop As Being Open In 2024
Chumlee opened the doors to his candy store, Chumlee's Candy On The Blvd., in 2017, and the shop has been a successful business venture for the Pawn Stars cast member. The candy shop boasts, "a selection of retro, nostalgic, and novelty treats." The store sells Chumlee's branded candy, jerky, toothpicks, and other exciting products. The shop has gotten some incredible reviews over the years and has an overall rating of 4.2 stars. Frequent shopper Marquetta Rattler wrote, "This was a cute small candy store with a lot of unique candy."
In 2024, the confectionery appears to still be open. It's situated at 725 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, Nevada. However, Chumlee hasn't posted on the store's official Instagram page since October 7, 2023. In his last post, he was mourning the passing of a beloved pet, his dog Forest. Yes, Chumlee's a bad boy, but he does have a softer side. On December 23, 2023, Chumlee made an appearance at the shop. On Facebook, he lets fans know when he'll be at the candy emporium, so they can come and visit. After that 2023 post, there hasn't been new activity on FB.
He's Not Posting As Much In 2024
Chumlee is pretty active on social media, typically posting on his Instagram account about his business ventures and some exciting events in his life. He used to post about venturing into the trading card collector game. He shared information about Pokémon cards, Magic cards, and other types of trading cards. The celeb is known for his presence in the pawn shop, collectibles, and candy niches. Pawn Stars legend Chumlee has clarified that he can do almost anything.
Austin Lee "Chumlee" Russell Was Spotted In Detroit In April 2024
Austin Lee "Chumlee" Russell Was Filming Pawn Stars Do America Season 2
Pawn Stars Do America is a spin-off of the OG hit, Pawn Stars. It follows Chumlee and other cast members as they explore America and examine some of its quirkiest treasures, as seen in the trailer above. They've showcased exciting items, from rock-n-roll memorabilia, such as Van Morrison's autograph, to neon signs and comic books.
In April of this year, Chumlee made the scene in the Motor City, where he was reportedly filming an episode of the show. Clearly, Chumlee's still an integral part of the Pawn Stars empire - Rick and Corey Harrison also appear in the spin-off. The episode that was filmed in Detroit aired on April 3, 2024, as per Michigan Live.
So, how does Pawn Stars Do America differ from the original series? Well, it takes the crew outside their iconic Sin City pawn shop. Usually, the group is in Las Vegas, consulting with experts and haggling with sellers. This time, they're turning the process of finding valuable items into a grand tour of the USA.
In season 2, they're hitting a host of cities, including the aforementioned Detroit, as well as:
- Boston
- Tampa
- Santa Fe (to name just several locales featured on the series)
Chumlee’s still a part of the original show too. Pawn Stars season 22 was the last installment, and it’s now available to purchase via Amazon Prime. That season of the History Channel series includes some fun episodes, including "The Pawnerator" and "Battle Pawn," as per TV Guide.
What Else Has Austin Lee “Chumlee” Russell Been Up To?
Austin Lee "Chumlee" Russell Changed His Body With Weight Loss Surgery
Chumlee embarked on a dramatic body makeover that positively impacted his mobility and quality of life. After getting bariatric surgery, he lost 160 pounds. A lot of reality stars have opted for this procedure - one of the most famous is Angela Deem from 90 Day Fiancé. Another is 1000-Lb. Sisters star Tammy Slaton, who lost 420 pounds after getting surgery.
Chumlee decided on a gastric bypass procedure. Before his weight-loss operation, Chumlee slimmed down through more conventional means i.e. diet and exercise. However, he eventually put on some pounds. Rather than continuing to yo-yo diet, he opted for bariatric surgery. Now that he’s liberated by weight loss, he’s able to enjoy a host of activities that were once out of reach - for example, he rode a hovercraft because he was under the maximum weight recommended by the vehicle’s manufacturer. Before, he’d been too heavy to do that activity.
While "bad boy" Chumlee’s drastic weight loss results from gastric bypass were apparent in 2021 and aren’t fresh news, the fact that he lost so much weight is an important facet of his journey. It changed his outlook and opened up his options. Weight loss was good for Chumlee's health.
In general, Chumlee’s very quiet on social media now. It was actually hard to find out exactly what he was up to. For example, his candy shop’s listed as being open on Google, but the Facebook account for that store hasn’t been updated in 2024, and Chumlee stopped posting on his own Instagram account in April 2022. There is chatter about Pawn Stars being fake, but plenty of hard facts about Chumlee are out there, even if they're hard to find.
While he isn’t exactly a mystery wrapped in an enigma, Chumlee’s lying low. He may just be enjoying life - another scenario is that he's ducking publicity since his legal problems got so many headlines. Pawn Stars’ Chumlee may come back to Instagram - if he does, his 815K followers will be happy. He’s held onto these fans even though he’s inactive on the platform. There’s something about Chumlee that keeps people interested. He’s complex enough to be interesting, and there’s plenty of light and shadow.
Sources: Chumlee's Candy/Instagram, Marquetta Rattler/Google, Chumlee/Instagram, Michigan Live, Silver & Gold Pawn Shop/YouTube, TV Guide
Pawn Stars
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Pawn Stars is an History Channel reality show set in the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. Hosted by owner Rick Harrison, his father "The Old Man", his son Corey, and their friend Chumlee, the show follows the daily buying and selling of various novelty items and antiques brought in by customers, providing valuable historical context along the way.
