You’ve probably seen the reruns. Corey "Big Hoss" Harrison standing behind that famous L-shaped counter, leaning over a rare Gibson or a dusty set of Civil War spurs, rolling his eyes while his dad, Rick, lectures a customer on history. For fifteen years, Corey was the muscle and the future of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. Then, things just... changed.
People keep asking where he went. Is he still in the shop? Did he finally quit after all those years of threatening to walk? Honestly, the answer is a lot more complicated than just a simple "yes" or "no." It involves a plane ticket to Mexico, a podcast, and a total rejection of the "character" he played on TV since his twenties.
Why Corey Harrison Left the Shop for Tulum
It’s official: Corey Harrison is basically done with the Las Vegas pawn life.
By late 2025, word finally leaked that when Pawn Stars returns for its next massive filming block in 2026, Corey won’t be in the building. He hasn't just left the show; he’s essentially left the country. Corey relocated to Tulum, Mexico, a move that surprised fans who thought he’d eventually inherit the whole kingdom from Rick.
He didn't hold back when explaining why.
"I can't play another season of 41-year-old me pretending to be 23," he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Think about that. Most of us change careers every decade, but Corey was stuck in a loop. He was the "kid" in the shop long after he’d become a middle-aged man with his own life and headaches. He basically admitted that at some point, you have to prepare for the end.
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The Break From History Channel
The show is shifting. While Rick Harrison and Chumlee are still the faces of the franchise, the dynamic is different now. Rick is the guy who will work until he collapses—Corey’s words, not mine—but Corey wanted out of that grind.
He’s started something new called The Corey Harrison Show.
It’s a podcast recorded right from his home in Mexico. No cameras from the History Channel. No scripted haggling. Just him and Jairus Cobb, a former producer from the show who helped make Pawn Stars a global hit. It’s a clean break. He’s traded the desert heat of Vegas for the humidity of the jungle, and he seems much happier for it.
The Transformation: Losing 200 Pounds
If you watch early episodes from 2009, you barely recognize the guy. Back then, Corey was pushing 400 pounds. He has been incredibly open about the "wake-up call" that changed everything.
It wasn't a vanity thing. It was a doctor's visit where he was told he was essentially pre-diabetic. He didn't wait around. He drove straight from the doctor’s office to a lap-band center and got the surgery almost immediately.
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The results were wild.
- Total weight loss: Nearly 200 pounds.
- Routine: He started boxing 12 rounds a day, five days a week.
- Impact: He could finally snowboard again—something he loved as a kid but became too big to do in his twenties.
It changed how he carried himself on screen. He went from the quiet guy in the background to a much more confident presence, though the weight loss also coincided with some of the more public struggles in his personal life.
Real Talk on the Legal Scandals
Being a celebrity in Las Vegas means your bad nights end up in the headlines. Corey hasn't had it easy.
In September 2023, he was arrested for a DUI. The details were messy. Police saw his white Ford truck swerving into a bike lane at 2 a.m. Corey claimed he’d only had one drink on a flight seven hours earlier and that the "swerving" was just his truck pulling to the right.
The machine was broken.
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When they took him to the station, the breathalyzer wasn't working, so they had to do a blood draw. He fought the charges, but it was a reminder that the "Big Hoss" persona comes with a microscope. This wasn't his first run-in; over the years, there have been various reports of bar scuffles and investigations, though most of the serious drama surrounding the shop actually involved Chumlee’s legal issues back in 2016.
Does He Still Own Part of the Shop?
This is the big question for the business nerds. Remember the episode where Corey threatened to quit if he didn't get a stake in the company?
He eventually got 5%.
While he isn't there daily anymore, that ownership stake hasn't just vanished. The Gold & Silver Pawn Shop is still a massive tourist destination, pulling in thousands of people a day. Even if he’s eating tacos in Tulum, the Harrison family business is still his legacy.
However, the "Pawn Stars 2.0" era is moving on without him. Rick is leaning more into the Pawn After Dark podcast and digital content, while Corey is carving out a life that doesn't involve explaining why a 1960s lunchbox isn't worth $500.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're looking for the "new" Corey, don't go to the shop on Las Vegas Boulevard. You’re going to be disappointed. Here is how to actually stay updated:
- Check the Podcast: The Corey Harrison Show is where he’s actually being himself now. If you want the unfiltered version of his life in Mexico, that's the source.
- Don't Expect Him in 2027: The new episodes of Pawn Stars currently in production for the 2027 season will feature Rick and Chumlee. Don't go looking for Corey in the credits.
- Visit for the History, Not the Stars: If you visit the shop in Vegas, remember the stars are rarely behind the counter unless they are filming. It’s a working pawn shop first, a TV set second.
Corey Harrison spent his entire adult life being the "son" in a father-son-grandfather trio. By walking away, he’s finally just becoming Corey. It’s a move that probably saved his sanity, even if it leaves a hole in the show that made him famous.