What Happened To Austin Lee "Chumlee" Russell From Pawn Stars?

Pawn Stars celeb Austin “Chumlee” Russell has 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. 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, the unlikely bad boy Chumlee has stood out as a central Pawn Stars figure. The series features the workings of the Pawn Stars 24-hour pawn shop. It's decidedly unique. 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 he'd 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, @chums_candy, 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.

Pawn Stars Icon Chumlee Was Active On Social Media

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 has recently been posting 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 Austin "Chumlee" Russell 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. 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?

Austim Lee "Chumlee" Russell Changed His Body With Weight Loss Surgery

Custom Image by Cesar Garcia

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' 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 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.

In general, Chumlee was very quiet on social media after his scandals. For a while, it was hard to find out exactly what he’d been up to. There are still questions - 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 main Instagram account in April 2022.

Chumlee Was At San Diego's Comic-Con In July 2024

Pawn Stars Fans Must Have Loved That

Via his Chumlee_collects Instagram, the Pawn Stars celeb posted such a fun update. Dressed in a fun and colorful bathrobe with a print that calls to mind the art of 80s legend Keith Haring, whose work is graffiti-inspired, Chumlee looked fabulous. He is much thinner these days, so he seems to be maintaining his weight loss after bariatric surgery. In this post, he sipped coffee from a Japan mug featuring cat and mountain illustrations, and showed off some Pokémon cards. Collecting these items is his passion. Chumlee said:

San Diego, comic-con 2024 was amazing. Met some awesome people that I’ve looked up to for many years and made stronger bonds with people I have met more recently. All in all it was a great time. I hope to see you guys at the next Con. Now it’s time to get back to the week and open up some Pokemon Cards. #chumlee#pokemon#chumleecollects#pawnstars

That Comic-Con sounded exciting - Robert Downey Jr. made an appearance, thrilling Marvel fans. After making the scene at the Californian convention, he showed off his new collectibles. Aside from the cards, he displayed a Deluxe Desktop Set featuring cute Pokémon figures. Clad in slippers, Chumlee was uber-relaxed. One fan enjoyed listening to him speak. They said:

Chum’s voice is so soothing, we should get an audio book from him

It's nice to see the former bad boy doing wholesome things and enjoying life. Apparently, he really has put his legal problems behind him. Now, he seems to love the simple things, from opening packs of Pokémon cards to savoring the best coffee to hanging out with his dog. Chumlee's growing up in the public eye. The man who hid illegal guns in his home has mellowed out. While he still seems to be single in late July 2024, he isn't lonely. He loved chatting with others at Comic-Con.

Chumlee's close with Pawn Stars' Rick Harrison too. They aren't just coworkers. He also has heroes - people he really respects. At Comic-Con, he got to meet them. In a post, via Chumlee_collects, he added a photo of him with some major VIPs:

Todd McFarlane, Mitsuhiro Arita, and Stan Sakai.

All three luminaries are exciting artists. Todd's known for creating the Spawn comic book. He's a Canadian man who's considered one of the world's most esteemed comic book artists. Mitsuhiro uses his talents to create drawings used in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Stan is another comic industry legend - he created the Usagi Yojimbo comic book series.

While he isn’t exactly a mystery wrapped in an enigma, Chumlee’s fairly quiet these days. However, facts about his Pawn Stars journey are out there, and his fitness makeover is also very interesting. Pawn Stars’ Chumlee may post more on Instagram - if he does, his 815K followers will be happy. He’s held onto these fans even though he’s mostly inactive on his main account. 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/Instagram, Chumlee's Candy On The Blvd/Instagram, Chums_Candy/Instagram, Marquetta Rattler, Michigan Live, TV Guide, Chumlee_collects/Instagram, Chumlee_collects/Instagram