Mar 05, 2010 Artifacts
I’m sure a lot of modern New Yorkers see this antiquated sign, and wonder what does “provident” actually mean? It’s actually defined as making or indicative of timely preparation for the future, see also Economical.
What a fantastic name for a bank. A provident loan society. If only today’s flashy gaudy banks had any sense of stability or providence. (I’m looking at you Chase and Capital One Bank.) Today’s banks look more like video arcades.
On further reading, I discovered what this place actually does, and it’s more of glorified pawn shop. Their description reads:
…dedicated to providing low interest funds to individuals upon pledge of diamond jewelry, gold jewelry, gold coins (only for gold content), watches and silverware.
But interestingly enough, the history spans back to 1893, during poor financial times in New York. They’re older, and have lasted longer than Bear Sterns.
You should see their website, it’s horrendous.