Are all Blockbuster stores closing?

[SeattleEd]

Since Redbox and Vid rentals was brought up, I just found out the company I work for(Screenplay) got the account to stream movie trailers to the Redbox kiosks in the Pentagon, yup. The US gov't. Of course we just provide it and they stream internally since they aren't hooked up to the external net.
We also got the account for company that will have an app that allows you price compare VOD and Hardcopies online. We provide all trailers.
Also, all the movie trailers on the MTV site we will provide. Fun times for streaming media that keeps growing.

[johnmiic]

Bad customer service, employees who wouldn't give a crap about you...didn't even know about movies, fighting for the few new movies that came out with other customers...and awful overall selection.

Hector, I can agree with you in that Blockbuster is always understaffed. Blockbuster was owned by Viacom = Sumner Redstone. That guy is a real cheap bastiche` if ever there was one! He is like the real-life Montique Burns of the Simpsons. He may not own Blockbuster now-but they still follow the business model he started.

When a chain decides to save money by understaffing, just so they can turn a better profit, you will always get: long lines, a sloppy store and an overworked staff, and bad service. It contributes a lot to a bad employee attitude. What happens is you do your job as best you can until you reach a point where its not humanly possible to do all the tasks that are required of you. If some employees already are goofs and don't work hard, and management doesn't fix hem, it only makes it worse for the good employees. The job breaks your spirit and you stop caring. I worked in many, many places where they understaffed on purpose, (Barnes & Noble, S&P, to name a couple). Granted, I've never been to the branch you went to but I suspect there's a story behind the scenes to it.

[Brazoo]

Libary is free. Just watched the Mist with the Punisher guy and Bubba Ho Tep.

Not just National Geographic Documentaries anymore.

Totally!

Library is fun too because the choice is so random - I end up seeing movies I would have never thought to see before.

[TrueDave]

Libary is free. Just watched the Mist with the Punisher guy and Bubba Ho Tep.

Not just National Geographic Documentaries anymore.

[HardyGirl]

I miss the old day's when it was a planned "event" to go out and rent a movie.

Me too...take a ride in the car, go get some frozen yogurt, and rent a video.

[VintageMike]

They seem to be surviving pretty well by me. There are also some smaller stores in the area as well. My Dad is a huge movie watcher and despite getting him a Netflix trial for Christmas, he ultimately decided he'd still rather go to an actual store. I think the price of even hard copies has hurt the rental business as well. When you can get a new DVD for $20 and an older one used cheaply, a per disc rental fee doesn't add up. The one area where they could do well, video game rentals they blow by having the prices too high.

[Hector]

Good riddance Blocksuker...I hated every time I went there...hated it.

Bad customer service, employees who wouldn't give a crap about you...didn't even know about movies, fighting for the few new movies that came out with other customers...and awful overall selection.

Good riddance...I'm not going to miss you one bit.

[Mikey]

I miss the old day's when it was a planned "event" to go out and rent a movie.

[Lonestarhobbies]

I do miss the oldschool video stores. Growing up my mom,brother and I would often hit the local grocery stores like Randall's or Kroger's and pick up a few videos while grocery shopping.

As a teen I used to rent from Blockbuster....but it just didn't feel the same.

I currently do the Redbox gig......it works for me

In my early 20's I began building my dvd collection....... thanks to my wife's cats....they killed at least half of my collection last year Now with Blue Ray being all the rage I'm glad----not for some new disc technology, but because everone around here is literally dumping thier DVD collections like the plague. For me this is fantastic, because I've been picking up DVD's at my local flea market and pawn shops for $1 and $2 on a regular basis. I'm not talking about worn out scratched to hell discs....I'm talking stuff that's fresh from the shelf, recent release stuff. I'm back to building my collection

[toys2cool]

most are gone, the last day they lower all dvd's to a $1 or less so make sure you stop buy

[mazinz]

Not to hijack the thread (but I will be checking the two B-buster's by me to see if they
were affected by the mass closings), but for you old schoolers out there
here is the non public access basement of older non rentals at the last
Mom and Pop video store by me. He still has a slew of vhs for rent/sale upstairs
(though he really wants to finally close down the place and move on).
I was lucky enough to be given the key to kingdom and able to raid the whole building.
Since Nov 2009 I think I have spent upwards of 1500.00 (if not more) on old big box, rare most
no dvd release vhs tapes. DAMN that nostaligic collector in me

Looking back I can now easily say "take me back to these days anytime". F*CK Redbox
and it's limited rental crap, people waiting on ever increasing lines and lack of many titles.
And to hell with Netflix too. I would rather be able to actually walk around a physicall store
and see/discover new or old movies for myself.

Even more tapes are on the right and left of the pic which cannot be seen

[SeattleEd]

I still buy DVD´s. My fear is if my computer crashes I have lost the movie. I love DVD´s!

Hence why Hard Drives and hard drive based recorders are dropping in price to sell for storage.
Also, what better way for you buy the movie again if you don't have a back up, right?
I've learned to back up EVERYTHING and update my hard drive if not in use for a long time.
Remember, it's still mechanical inside those drives. Prone to problems as any other device. I've lost hard drives but luckily managed to pull most info off if possible
DVD-R's and CD-Rs all have a shelf life despite the initial arguments that they last 100 years. All my old burn media from 10 years ago is history. Lost A LOT of content so now I mostly archive to drives and upgrade drives.
It would be nicer to keep the CDs, Hardcopy photos and articles and DVDs but it's just more clutter to horde.
I prefer sparseness in a small living area. Not a fan of big houses. Simplicity is much better.

[BOTZWANA]

I still buy DVD´s. My fear is if my computer crashes I have lost the movie. I love DVD´s!

[johnmiic]

http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/co...ores/19597754/



Blockbuster

No. of Stores Closing: 500-545

Under assault by video-on-demand and online video rentals, Blockbuster (BLOKA) announced earlier this year that it plans to close 500 to 545 stores in 2010. That's in addition to the 374 it closed last year.


http://www.dailyfinance.com/article/...p-for/1157309/


Blockbuster Inc. has brought in turnaround specialist Jeffery Stegenga as its chief restructuring officer in an effort to salvage the troubled video rental store chain.

Stegenga's hiring satisfies a demand by Blockbuster's bondholders, who last week agreed to give the Dallas-based company more time to repay some of its debt if it brought in outside help to bolster its finances.
James Keyes, Blockbuster's CEO for the past three years, remains in charge of the company.

Stegenga comes to Blockbuster from Alvarez & Marsal, a firm that works with companies striving to avoid filing for bankruptcy protection. He is supposed to stay at Blockbuster for as long as it takes to get the company's finances in order again.

...
With the company's survival in doubt, Blockbuster's shares have been depressed for so long that they were de-listed from the New York Stock Exchange earlier this week, (7/9/2010).
The stock, now trading on the over-the-counter market, gained 2 cents Friday to close at 17 cents.

[starsky]

still have one in my area. they seem to be surviving.