The demise of the video rental store?

[Abbey Marie]

Two video shops in our area are closing within the next few months. That leaves us with just Blockbuster (which I don't like). The one we usually rent from (California Video) has a fantastic Archives section, with all those old movies that you can't easily get your hands on. It will be gone by January.

Are we all going to have to use NetFlix now? We, as a family, love to go to the store, read the boxes and pick out movies. I'm afraid that another cultural icon is going bye bye.

[-Cp]

This is one "cultural icon" I'll be glad to say "Good Riddence" too - we switched to NetFlix awhile ago and would never reconsider going back to a "store" for a few reasons:

1. Netflix is WAY cheaper
2. We don't have to spend our time and gas going to get the movie
3. We don't have to spend our time and gas RETURNING the darn thing
4. In fact, we only use our mailbox to do it all! Online services ROCK and I'd recommend them to anyone!

If you're worried about "checking out the boxes" - well shoot, with NetFlix you can actually PREVIEW the movie online before renting it...

We used to dread taking the "family" to the rental store as all those movie boxes sitting around would have ALL of our kids coming up to us saying "Oh, Oh, can we rent this one dad?" - rinse and repeat that question every 2 seconds x4 kids....

[Abbey Marie]

But- what if it's, say, Friday afternoon, and you are in the mood for a particular movie for that night? With Netflix, don't you kind of have to know ahead of time which movie(s) you will want to see in the future? I'm kind of a spur of the moment movie watcher.

[truthmatters]

But- what if it's, say, Friday afternoon, and you are in the mood for a particular movie for that night? With Netflix, don't you kind of have to know ahead of time which movie(s) you will want to see in the future? I'm kind of a spur of the moment movie watcher.

I agree its sad that Mom and Pop places just dont have a chance against the Big chains anymore.

Its almost a non exsistant thing in my town to have any mom and pop stores of anykind. It was a great way for people to fullfill their dreams with hard work and sound customer service to step up the ladder of life. Pretty much non exsistant anymore.

[-Cp]

But- what if it's, say, Friday afternoon, and you are in the mood for a particular movie for that night? With Netflix, don't you kind of have to know ahead of time which movie(s) you will want to see in the future? I'm kind of a spur of the moment movie watcher.

Well, they do have a new service which lets you stream the entire movie now online...

Yes, an online service - if you don't stream the movie - does take a bit of planning, but what's what I have a wife for... after all, that's "women's work"... :P

[-Cp]

I agree its sad that Mom and Pop places just dont have a chance against the Big chains anymore.

Its almost a non exsistant thing in my town to have any mom and pop stores of anykind. It was a great way for people to fullfill their dreams with hard work and sound customer service to step up the ladder of life. Pretty much non exsistant anymore.


Since when is Hollywood Video or Blockbuster a "Mom and Pop" Place? - they are HUGE chains...

[Abbey Marie]

I agree its sad that Mom and Pop places just dont have a chance against the Big chains anymore.

Its almost a non exsistant thing in my town to have any mom and pop stores of anykind. It was a great way for people to fullfill their dreams with hard work and sound customer service to step up the ladder of life. Pretty much non exsistant anymore.

ITA. We go to our local small hardware store whenever possible. It's not hard, because they seem to have just about everything we need, and it's much easier to find than trudging all over Home Depot or Lowes.

Plus, our California Video would set up special sections for "staff recommendations", or "summer sequels", etc. You could tell that the managers and cashiers really loved movies because they loved to talk about them with customers. I think that personal touch is fun and interesting.

[Yurt]

But- what if it's, say, Friday afternoon, and you are in the mood for a particular movie for that night? With Netflix, don't you kind of have to know ahead of time which movie(s) you will want to see in the future? I'm kind of a spur of the moment movie watcher.

I am too, plus I love my local video store owner. He is an asian with a wicked bad sense of humor and totally plays up his asian accent. Plus he rents next weeks vids out early to a select few who are in the "know." Can't get that service anywhere else. I also enjoy his movie picks for me, he knows us pretty well and is 90% right on the movies he recommends, far better than rotten tomatoes.

[Abbey Marie]

Since when is Hollywood Video or Blockbuster a "Mom and Pop" Place? - they are HUGE chains...


I don't care for Blockbuster, as I said above. I believe that local franchises of chains are often run by local guys, and as such, are a small business to them. They are run in that way, in my experience.

[truthmatters]

I wish my town had them still. Vegas has grown so fast in the last 12 years they are all gone now. Gobbled up by the major chains who dont really value customer service.

[5stringJeff]

I have been using Netflix for the last 2 years, and I love it. Make the switch, and you'll never go back!

[Cheyenne]

Two video shops in our area are closing within the next few months. That leaves us with just Blockbuster (which I don't like). The one we usually rent from (California Video) has a fantastic Archives section, with all those old movies that you can't easily get your hands on. It will be gone by January.

Are we all going to have to use NetFlix now? We, as a family, love to go to the store, read the boxes and pick out movies. I'm afraid that another cultural icon is going bye bye.We have no Mom & Pop places; only the big ones.

I saw in the grocery the other day that they have this big machine that you can choose DVDs from & rent them for $1 per day. I don't trust something like that. I quite often use the local library. GREAT source for movies. For each library card you get 5 DVDs, and you get to keep them for 28 days.

[-Cp]

I have been using Netflix for the last 2 years, and I love it. Make the switch, and you'll never go back!

Exactly....

[dan]

I haven't had Netflix for that long, but I love it. You do have to plan ahead slightly (generally, it takes about a day to get a movie), but they have so much stuff that my local video store would've never had. Plus, $20/month, and this month I've already rented about 12 or 15 movies, the price is definitely right.

[jackass]

I haven't had Netflix for that long, but I love it. You do have to plan ahead slightly (generally, it takes about a day to get a movie), but they have so much stuff that my local video store would've never had. Plus, $20/month, and this month I've already rented about 12 or 15 movies, the price is definitely right.

Blockbuster is better though!

[manu1959]

Blockbuster is better though!

your blockbuster must not have retards behind the counter.....

[darin]

when we had netflix, we ran out of movies we cared about seeing. :-/

[jackass]

your blockbuster must not have retards behind the counter.....

No it does...but what do you need them for? I can find my own movies. :)

[dan]

I have personal issues against Blockbuster. They edit R-rated movies they deem too inappropriate, but make no indication on the box that you are watching an edited film. They have insider deals with all of the big studios, which is why you see 20 copies of the latest big-budget action movie and little to no independent movies. They originally refused to carry any movie that was unrated or rated NC-17, until it became the big trend with the big studios to put out unrated DVDs, now they carry them all the time.

[PostmodernProphet]

driving down a country road the other day, we passed an old gas station/bait shop with a rusty sign out front that said "Tape Rental"......It took us till we were several miles up the road before we figured out what it was they were renting, because all of us had completely forgotten about VCRs.......

[jackass]

I have personal issues against Blockbuster. They edit R-rated movies they deem too inappropriate, but make no indication on the box that you are watching an edited film. They have insider deals with all of the big studios, which is why you see 20 copies of the latest big-budget action movie and little to no independent movies. They originally refused to carry any movie that was unrated or rated NC-17, until it became the big trend with the big studios to put out unrated DVDs, now they carry them all the time.

Never heard of them editing their movies. Also..I see tons of the indies at Blockbuster.

[dan]

when we had netflix, we ran out of movies we cared about seeing. :-/

That's weird. You must not like a lot of movies. Let me guess, you rented all of Jessica Alba's and Jessica Simpson's movies, then Wargames, then you were done?:laugh2:j/k

[dan]

Never heard of them editing their movies. Also..I see tons of the indies at Blockbuster.

There's evidence of them editing Eyes Wide Shut and Last Tango in Paris. I don't know of any others offhand, but I've heard rumors about others.

Last time I was at Blockbuster, I hardly saw any good indie movies (although, they do have a bunch of low-budget horror movies, so I guess I shouldn't say NO indies).

[PostmodernProphet]

Last time I was at Blockbuster

there can be a great deal of difference between the inventories in different Blockbusters.......there are three in our area and I have been in all three at different times......for example, one has a huge inventory of Japanese anime, a third only a dozen titles.......