PatD

There's a county (Whatcom) in Washington state that has 3 video rental stores (all mom and pop, of course) still in business.

I'm in a documentary film class. My first assignment was to make a 3 minute piece and I chose one of these 3 video stores. The subject seemed fascinating enough to expand it into a 10 minute piece about this strange phenomenon featuring all three stores.

*Is* this a rare phenomenon in this day and age? Do you know of a way to confirm how rare this is in this day and age? And is there a resource online that I can confirm that?

Thank you.









If you're interested: this is my original 3-minute doc about one of them:

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/80XJ71hbFOI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

movieguru

It seems like this video store is focusing on a niche market by having more independent films and documentaries than mainstream titles. It also has ambiance with the brick walls and homey non corporate look. It can remain somewhat successful since it carries titles that you may not currently find elsewhere. However, eventually most videos will eventually end up available for streaming so their days are probably numbered.

rduncan

I think many of the reasons he mentioned are why I actually love to hang out at a real book store. Yes, I use Amazon and like the search options and their recommendations, however a used book store can be a real treasure trove just rooting around. My video tastes are more mundane and I can watch just about anything to keep me amused so haven't visited any kind of video department in quite some time.

Oh yeah, excellent final product. Hope you did well in the class.

Rick

zyzzle

Not for those of us who detest / refuse to give in to streaming, and will go out of our way to support a niche video rental mom-and-pop store! I like to think that most of the clientelle of such a niche market think the same way I do, and speak with their wallets. I hope more such stores sprout into existence, and that they prosper. Backlash to the DRM-infested, inferior quality streaming 'product' that the studios are forcing down our throats...

Ringmaster

Good job on the video, Pat! I don't have a store like this where I live and if I did, I would support it 100%. To even operate a niche store in this day in age is financial suicide, but I always loved video stores like these and I hope they all succeed.

snowdogmama

3 independents left in my county. I am one of them. 16,000+ titles. Been in business 30+ years. The other two are almost as old as we are.

ProfessorEcho

Independent stores will be the wave of the future once Amazon monopolizes the chains out of business. You will see more small used book/video stores for those of us who still enjoy the b&m experience of shopping. In a way the retail store business will go back to earlier eras with small mom and pop establishments able to survive, having less of a bottom line than the chains who put them out of business in the pre-Internet days.

PhantomStranger

There is probably a temporary niche now that deep catalog stock of physical media has disappeared at the remaining retailers that choose to carry DVDs and Blu-rays. The days of Best Buy carrying exotic imports or older catalog movies are over.

Obi-Wanma

I dunno, I suppose it would depend on how densely populated said county was. I never really think of anything in terms of what county things are in, just cities really, but there are a lot of cities in my county. I know there aren't many video stores around, but I could almost guarantee there are more than 3 in the county. There's at least one in my city.

EDIT: I just check Family Video's locations on their website, and there are at least 12 of them in my county (just by me reviewing the locations and counting the ones in cities I knew were in my county, so there could be even more if there's one in a city I'm not familiar with), even some cities within the county had as many as 3 of them just in that one city, so without even counting Mom and Pop's (the 1 in my city I referenced before is one of those), yeah, there are a lot more than 3 movie rental places in my county.

BrewCrew

In larger cities I doubt it is very rare, more than 3 in Milwaukee county.

davidh777

Yeah, larger counties like King next to you will have that many between Scarecrow and multiple Rain City Videos.

Nice job on the documentary! Did you just interview the one dude, or did he stand out among the others. I like the near-My Dinner with Andre music too.

zyzzle

Yes, that's what I'm waiting for, dammit! Ironic, isn't it that we'll soon be back to that model (which worked GREAT the first time around) for books and media? I say, good riddance to Amazon and its irk. They used to be great, now they've gotten way, way too greedy...

BTW: I greatly enjoyed your documentary. Bravo to you for doing this and giving exposure to the little guys.

snowdogmama

How many redboxes do you have around your stores? I have 7 redboxes within 2 blocks of my store.

PatD

Redboxes are fine if you're looking for the latest Adam Sandler comedy. It's not very helpful if you're looking for 1988 remake of The Blob.

Also, thank you to everyone for your kind words about my video! Video rental stores are near and dear to my heart!

Doc Moonlight

Really enjoyed your documentary. You really captured why some of us still check out video stores. Well done!

Bob_Bobbson

Wow, someone else in Whatcom County. Small world.

That was a great documentary. I feel compelled to stop in there sometime now.

davidh777

Kudos to the OP for inspiring a member since 2002 to climb closer to 1000 posts.

mhg83

We have a mom and pop store and a Family Video. Family Video merged with Marcos Pizza and it's been increasing their sales. It's pretty cool to order a Pizza from inside the video store, shop around for a movie, and pick up your pizza after picking out your rental. Plus the next time you order a pizza for delivery If you still have a rental the driver takes it back. Really cool way of staying relevant.

Bob_Bobbson

arminius

I tried doing a search for video rentals here on LI and most of the stuff that comes up are dead. There are adult stores but other than redbox and that I could not find any stores like the one in your doc.

slop101

There are still bunch around me (Orange County), though more near my work (downtown Santa Ana), rather then my home (suburban Irvine), as they seem to cater to more ethnic/Latino clients who most likely don't have internet.

davidh777

Next step: Watching your rental while eating your pizza at the restaurant.

"Honey, we're gonna have to pay a late fee... unless we order a pizza now!"

PatD

As of this evening, I've gotten all the footage taken for the 10 minute version of my documentary which will include interviews and verite footage from the other two stores in Bellingham, WA. Now, it's on to post production. I'll have it posted in a few months. Thanks for the moral support, everyone!

Abob Teff

I would love to have a store like that near me! Even more so, I would love to own a store like that! Makes me pine for my video store days while wanting to dust off that old business plan I wrote. Even though I worked for the soulless evil corporations, my dream was to do it myself. I still believe there is a market out there in the right locations ...

Awesome job Pat! Can't wait to see the extended cut!

TheKing

I think county is far too wide of a net.

Hell, I can think of at least that many within walking distance. Of course I'm sure most of them cater to mexicans, but still.