Blockbuster no more

[Iron Mego]

With Netflix, OnDemand and Amazon Prime, video rentals really are a thing of the past. I get together every week with a buddy of mine to watch a movie, and we use Redbox every once in awhile for new releases, but most of the things we watch we get from one of the aforementioned streaming services.

[jwyblejr]

Bound to happen. Not just due to streaming but the affordability of physical media for those want it. Why bother renting when for $15-$20 you can own a hi definition copy of something that you're going to watch more than once? Having a huge personal library has also become more common.

Cheaper too. Look at Walmart's $5 DVD bin for proof.

[ctc]

>One thing I've seen the rise of is Mom and Pop video stores again.

Maybe it's a Canadian thing, but we've had a LOT of places open up the last year or so. Including a few "Eye on Video" places; which I thought went under back in the 90's.

So current Windsor zoning laws seem to require every four block stretch have at least one Tim Hortons (although I think that's a federal mandate) one strip club, and a video rental place.

Don C.

[johnmiic]

Yeah, they still had some stores in Long Island, NY but they will be gone too now.

The bad customer service was due to bad management. Many stores were under-staffed to maximize profits and didn't have enough staff to run a register and restock the shelves. So lines were long, DVD's sat behind the counter instead of being rented and money was lost.

[MIB41]

Yeah, I haven't seen a Blockbuster store in over five years. Oddly we have a local video store (I think its called "Neighborhood Video") that is thriving. They rent regular and blu ray DVDs cheap and start putting them on sale (cheap) about a month after. So I can get allot of current blu ray releases for $10.00. I guess you just have to build the right business model to survive in this industry.

[Legend of Link]

http://www.southparkstudios.com/full...e-on-face-time

[megoapesnut]

I tell you I miss Media Play more than any store. I could literally spend hours in there and I always found something when I went.

That was a monthly ritual for my family. Out to eat at the buffet next door and 2-4 hours browsing around Media Play. Never walked out without making a purchase.

[CrimsonGhost]

I thought they went under years ago. At this point, I got Roku, Netflix, and Amazon Prime and I never have to leave the house.

[Iron Mego]

I mean, people DO still like to rent stuff, so it would be nice if those specialty video places started popping back. We had a great place here that was pretty much just art and foreign films. I'd love to see a horror/sci fi shop open up since that is what I rented back in the '80s.

[Access]

I agree. As nice as Amazon, Netflix, redbox is, the selection is limited and you have to "Search" for exactly what you want. Most of the good stuff at Netflix you have to wait a few days to get. I remember strolling through the 'genre' section at my blockbuster/video store and finding stuff I'd never seen before, it was fun.

Oh well, Arguing 'choice' or 'reason' with the masses is a fools errand. Just like the K-mart thread earlier, if enough people just start doing something, whatever is may be (fashion, music, etc) the masses will follow suit, until the next 'thing' comes around.

[Spawn67]

Looking up old video stores on the internet I randomly came across this awesome pic. This could have very well been me as a kid in the 80's in the horror section.tumblr_m5ozxrm29r1qzlnx8o1_500.jpg

[EMCE Hammer]

Awesome - that brings back memories. "Back when I was a kid, we had to go to a store and get the movie. Now we just send a mindtext and it magically appears on our google glasses."

[LadyZod]

In our area, we actually have a mom & pop video store.

It stays open thanks to being the only place around to carry "adult" films.

[Iron Mego]

Looking up old video stores on the internet I randomly came across this awesome pic. This could have very well been me as a kid in the 80's in the horror section.[ATTACH=CONFIG]8960[/ATTACH]

Yeah, me too.

[HapSlash]

It's easy to say that video rentals are obsolete now that everything is streaming these days. But a lot of people just can't afford high speed internet, or worse, don't even have it available in their area (myself included). My brother keeps telling me to try out Netflix, etc... but when the only internet available in my area is over the phone lines, there really isn't much point to it.