Nostalgic for video stores yet?

[palitoy]

In the early 90s, there was a video store on every corner, each with a differing selection. I still collect VHS oddities.

I miss those days but ever since the switch to DVD, it wasn't the same for me.

[johnmiic]

We had a great video store that closed up, (when cable came to town in Corona, NY in 1988), called Video Zoo. I hated Blockbuster but I would rather pick something out on a shelf than wait for it in the mail.

[4NDR01D]

On the one hand I'll always have fond memories of walking around a warehouse size Jumbo Video, eating free popcorn and checking out the great box art of all the 70's/80's b-horror films, but on the other, those days are long gone and I'm ready to embrace the new era of direct streaming to my TV.
I've probably watched more movies, documentaries and TV seasons in the last 6 months since getting Netflix, than the last few years combined.

[Duncan]

The best one left in Columbus, North Campus Video, closed 2 weeks ago. Too bad.

[spacecaps]

There are none around here anymore. Three years ago I could walk to a Hollywood Video and two Blockbusters. $5 a movie, or join a month to month club, limited selection, late fees...man I don't miss these stores at all. You can buy a movie on standard DVD format at Target or Best Buy for less than what it cost to rent the film a few years ago. I'd much rather find what I'm looking for on my computer, reserve it at Redbox for $1 or stream it through netflix for $8 a month. At worst I'd have to get it through the mail and I'm totally ok with that too. The video stores I have a fondness for have all been gone for at least 20 years....Four Girls, Dollar Video, Palmer, West Coast, Flix, Druckers all wiped out by Block Buster which was the worst of them all.

[spacecaps]

Incidentally, Hollywood Video shut down a few years ago but a couple of months ago I got a bill from a collection agency claiming I had almost $300 in late fee's from a year prior to their closing. I searched around and it turns out a lot of people got these letters from a liquidator trying to collect on phantom debt. Most of the videos they claimed I had never returned, I hadn't even rented. Also, how could I have been allowed to continue to rent from them in 2009 when I had a $300 tab from 2008. Anyone else get something like that?

[Spawn67]

Oh yea! I posted about this before. I also posted on VCR's and how it bums me out to see stacks of them at my local goodwill from $3 at the most when I remember how they were the rage when I was a kid.
I was never into the Blockbuster type stores although I have rented from them before.
I really miss my local mom and pop store or should I say stores that were near me when I was a kid. They always had the best selection of underground movies mixed in with the big movies. I would spend hours in them. I remember the HUGE deal it was when new movies came in. Of course Blockbuster came into town and wiped them out!
But yea for Nostalgic reasons I miss those stores.

[mazinz]

Am I nostalgic? Hopefully this answers the question. One of a few similar type shelves with tapes that I have here:

PS I am also lucky enough to still have one Mom and Pop video store still open by me

[Bruce Banner]

In the old days I used to rent several VHS movies per week from my local video store... (and even Betamax titles, too, before places stopped carrying them)... that's how I saw a lot of obscure sci-fi & fantasy movies that still haven't been released on DVD and probably never will be.

I kept quite a few of my old VHS tapes... mostly the rare and obscure stuff, vintage making of docs, etc., when most were ditching their collections and reacquiring everything on DVD.

Still occasionally rent DVDs from my local Blockbuster.

[Adam West]

Incidentally, Hollywood Video shut down a few years ago but a couple of months ago I got a bill from a collection agency claiming I had almost $300 in late fee's from a year prior to their closing. I searched around and it turns out a lot of people got these letters from a liquidator trying to collect on phantom debt. Most of the videos they claimed I had never returned, I hadn't even rented. Also, how could I have been allowed to continue to rent from them in 2009 when I had a $300 tab from 2008. Anyone else get something like that?

Probably a collection agency that purchased the Accounts Receivable from the bankruptcy courts for pennies on the dollar. I wouldn't just ignore it, but force them to prove that you owe the money or remove you from their list. They could eventually place it on your credit report as an unpaid bill causing your credit score to go down.