Throughout the 80s and early 90s, mom-n-pop video stores were everywhere. You’d always recognize the person at the counter and while they wouldn’t have 80,000 copies of the latest blockbuster, their back catalog of movies was always impressive. I always apprecited seeing the gigantic Wizard Video boxes and the availability of the many outdated WWF videos. These days, though, only a sparse few exist in the shadow of the brightly lit Blockbuster or Hollywood Video stores, usually in small, out-of-the-way towns where the mega-stores haven’t yet taken over.
Do you have any mom-n-pop video stores left in your town?
Posted in Everyday Life
Rita May 14, 2007, 10:16 pm
Yes…me. {:o) Although it is getting harder & harder. I have several of the old WWF videos. I have over 15000 VHS & about 3000 DVD titles. My old VHS still rent pretty well. We don’t have a Blockbuster or a Movie Gallery here in our little town, YET. Although there are current rumors circulating around town. 15 years ago, I honestly don’t think a big chain would have hurt us. In my humble opinion, DVDs were the beginning of the end. VHS were $80 & up. Walmart didn’t handle them until they were out awhile & the price came down. People wouldn’t wait until Walmart got them in. It was a BIG DEAL to get the New Releases on street date. We bought more copies & they were out all the time. Now….the DVDs are cheaper. People come in & if the movie they want is not in stock, they say, “I’ll just go buy it.” I blame that more than Blockbuster & Movie gallery. I’m not sure the prices @ Movie Gallery, but Blockbuster is higher than we are. People with satellite or cable get tired of the same movie playing over & over & they still rent movies…maybe not as often as they once did. Movies are kind of an impulse item, so although some of my customers use NET FLIX, they still come in & rent movies. The movie business will never return to what it once was. I just hope to stay afloat. My husband passed away in 2002 & it’s the only income I have.