FLASH was established with a simple vision: to improve existing legislation affecting Florida’s secondhand dealers.
In August 2020, gold reached an all-time high of $2,074.88 per ounce. Concurrently, Florida’s businesses in all industries were scrambling to stay afloat as they faced an unprecedented set of challenges. At that time, Shane and Emilie Socash, owners of David Reynolds Jewelry & Coin in Saint Petersburg, made a commitment: If our business survives the next two years, we’re going to work to improve the business climate for our industry.
In 2022, precious metals values remained high and David Reynolds remained open. It was the metals market that spurred the Socashes to action to ask, What would be the best first step in improving how stores like ours can become more stable and sustainable?
Changing Statute 538 for the better.
In 2022, the pair engaged with Mark Anderson Consulting in order to craft an approach that would help establish a strong position in representing the entire Secondhand Dealer community of Florida. After months of examining the various constraints of Statute 538, the team opted to push to remove the 30-day hold on precious metal bullion.
Following months of strong advocacy work, attendance at local delegate meetings and Capitol committee meetings, House Bill 737 was written into law on May 24, 2023.
Effective July 1, 2023, Secondhand Dealers are no longer required to hold precious metal bullion before it can be resold.
The FLASH Mission:
Advocating for secondhand dealers across Florida.
FLASH represents all secondhand dealers in Florida with the goals of:
Assisting Florida’s secondhand dealers in promoting a positive and professional image of our industry, working to uphold the best ethical conduct and encourage best practices in obeying local, state, and federal laws and regulations pertaining to our industry.
Protecting Florida secondhand dealers from legislation that would be detrimental to the secondhand industry and work for the interests of responsible secondhand dealers.
Offering resources to secondhand dealers that will assist them with issues pertaining to their companies in an effort to improve the secondhand dealer industry in the state of Florida.