Man Opens Video Store…in 2021

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Okay, it’s an old news story, but I know we have a few physical media enthusiasts here, so figured I’d share.

And if you’re curious how his business is going…well they’re still open. Here’s the official website: www.vipervideotampa.com/

I actually haven’t had the chance to order from them yet. I have ordered and had great experiences with Grindhouse Video. The reason I mention it is because Grindhouse previously operated the location of Viper Video before the owner, Mike, moved to Tennessee to run a video store there and continues to operate his website. I’ll definitely keep Viper Video in mind though as sometimes the smallest places have really unique things pop up.

In that vein I couldn’t help, but smirk when I noticed a copy of Nekromantik 2 in this news story. If you’re familiar with the content of that film at all, you’ll know why.

[Muskrat]

On the opposite side of things, Winnipeg's last movie store is closing

winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/no-more-sequels-transcona-video-rental-store-set-to-close-after-40-years-1.6795710

EDIT: King has been a distribution place for rural Manitoba since the 80's. So many VHS tapes I rented had the King sticker on the bottom

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Mar 14, 2024 17:45:50 GMT -5 Muskrat said:

On the opposite side of things, Winnipeg's last movie store is closing

winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/no-more-sequels-transcona-video-rental-store-set-to-close-after-40-years-1.6795710

EDIT: King has been a distribution place for rural Manitoba since the 80's. So many VHS tapes I rented had the King sticker on the bottom

That’s a shame. Video stores are pretty much dead here too. Although there is The Video Underground in Jamaica Plain, which has to be the strongest of the video store holdouts in the Greater Boston area.

[Ultimo Gallos]

I was shocked when last December I learned there was still video rental store open up in Magee MS.

Same one in 2012 a buddy wrote an article about for the Magee paper.Back then the store rented VHS and DVD. And the owner had a offer to buy VHS.

Looked into the demographics of Magee and at least 12 years ago like 1/3 of the residents were retired older folk.

No clue if they still rent VHS. But the sign out front mentioned DVD and Blu ray.

Was late for a show or would have stopped and checked the place out.

Then last week learned the last video store on the MS Gulf Coast is closing. Buddy opened it back in 1989 or 90. At oone time had 3 stores in 3 towns. But this is the last store left.

I figured he had closed it years ago. Learned it was finally closing cause he emailed me asking if there was any dvds I was looking for.

[A Platypus Rave]

See I could see independent film rental places doing alright especially if they stock a lot of harder to find or out of print stuff...

or just stuff that's just not on Streaming in any easy way to function.

[HMARK Center]

There's a few out there, but it seems to me a lot of the more successful ones lean into really emphasizing what streaming can't, which is mainly emphasizing the store as a film-lover community space - somewhere people can watch things together, book club style get togethers to discuss films or shows, maybe invite a minor celebrity in for a signing session, stuff like that.

Honestly, I drove past the place I always went in my childhood for rentals yesterday, which is now split into two different businesses, and I couldn't stop thinking about a scenario where I win the lottery and try to make it back into a rental place, just with some added bells and whistles.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Mar 16, 2024 8:14:13 GMT -5 HMARK Center said:

There's a few out there, but it seems to me a lot of the more successful ones lean into really emphasizing what streaming can't, which is mainly emphasizing the store as a film-lover community space - somewhere people can watch things together, book club style get togethers to discuss films or shows, maybe invite a minor celebrity in for a signing session, stuff like that.

Honestly, I drove past the place I always went in my childhood for rentals yesterday, which is now split into two different businesses, and I couldn't stop thinking about a scenario where I win the lottery and try to make it back into a rental place, just with some added bells and whistles.

Great point! I know the previously mentioned Video Underground has always leaned into this, holding small movie screenings and concerts. They also serve food and drink which helps (pastries and that sort of thing). I know especially in the later years what helped keep Family Video alive was Marco’s Pizza which was an in-store pizza place at a lot of their locations.

It’s tricky though because to do a lot of that stuff you have to have a fair amount of space. I’ve read before that an ideal space for a video store was at least 4,000 feet. Mostly so people can mill about and not feel cramped in, but it definitely helps with having events. The trouble is especially in metro areas 4,000 feet of commercial space is A LOT in rent. I don’t think even The Video Underground is 4,000 feet and Viper Video doesn’t look like it is either. Grindhouse Video in Tennessee WAS 4,000 feet, but Mike closed the physical store (still sells off the website though).