Since we’re on the topic of nostalgic tech, do you guys think Video Stores can make a comeback?
I came across this article awhile back & it really intrigued me.
Other than the nostalgia to revisit the experience of browsing physical shelves and interacting with knowledgeable store staff who know “all things movies,” I’m also looking at cost.
I know that streaming services have been all the rage for the past several years, however, not all movies are available on specific streaming services. Some are not available at all. So, I am looking at what it costs to subscribe to all of the services.
A basic plan on Netflix costs $10.
HBO Max is $15
Hulu also cost $15
Plus there are countless others. If you want access to all the popular ones, the costs can go to about $100 per month.
Is the cost really worth it? Don’t video stores make more sense?
Why or why not?
I like the idea, and I reminisce about the times when I used to rent out video tapes myself. Even though it would be a great trip down memory lane to have these come back, it may be difficult considering the fact that everything digital is just so much cheaper than maintaining a physical blockbuster-type store.
These video stores would really need to attract a large audience with sentiment for past times in order for it to be worthwhile. That, or maybe there would need to be some value added that the digital copies simply can’t provide.
Let’s say the stores had a mini movie theater-type room where you could watch a total of, let’s say, 5 minutes of the movie or series to see if it’s something you want to rent out. Maybe then it would attract attention, giving customers that physical movie theater-type feeling (perhaps even in 3D?). That might just be the value added that sparks interest. What do you think? Do you have any other ideas that you think would convince you to visit this type of store?
I also wonder if movie theatres are on the way out?
Maybe 15 years ago there was a movie that played in my home city, in a little arthouse theatre that seated maybe 50. It was a cool theatre that was in an old building and was fun just to be in.
The movie was marketed as ‘the worst movie ever made’ and was by an American guy with w European accent. It was a midnight showing and was a full on experience.
By the time it got to us the movie had a cult following worldwide as ‘the worst movie ever made’ and we received a page of instructions of what to do and when during the film, we each got a handful of plastic spoons to throw at the screen at certain times. It was a fully encouraged audience participation experience and was honestly the best movie experience I’ve ever had, though it really was a terrible film.
In a similar way I recall spending hours at the local video store, walking up and down the aisles, casually looking at all of the covers, reading the synopsis on the backs, deciding which films to rent. It was a special experience that was perhaps 3 or 4 times per year. Binge watching was not a thing back then.
The same with bookstores - walking the aisles, looking at everything and reading the backs, deciding which to rent or purchase. Smelling the books, feeling the pages, covers, antique bindings. Feeling the ages of hands who have possibly handled the books before you - imagining that perhaps the author themself once handled that specific book… what a thrill!
It’s a user experience which you don’t get on a computer.
Perhaps if people value that sort of experience, video stores will make some kind of comeback - after all, there is a new vintage record store which has just opened in my little home town…
I encountered this dilema a few weeks ago. Some friends and I wanted to watch an obscure 1980s movie. We couldn’t find it on any of the major streaming sites.
It’s fascinating to explore the idea of video stores making a comeback. While streaming services offer convenience and a vast library of content, the cost of subscribing to multiple services can add up. Video stores could provide a cost-effective alternative, allowing people to access a wide range of movies without the need for multiple subscriptions. Additionally, the physical browsing experience and knowledgeable staff can enhance the overall movie-watching journey. It’s great to consider different options and perspectives in the ever-changing landscape of entertainment.
I used to really enjoy browsing video stores with my family to choose a movie. Highly doubt they can make a comeback, though. Everybody I know prefers the convenience of streaming.
We visit the local library’s DVD collection nowadays for movies. Streaming services add up and we only watch a handful a year. The kids watch more movies and are happy with whatever the library has.
In Norway the best video store is the public library! It’s free, you get to keep the films for 14 days and it’s 20 items max (books, dvd’s, cd’s etc). In addition you find way more arthouse-films and rare picks than any streaming service (except maybe mubi and criterion). When I was single, I had no wi-fi at home, only a tv and a blu-ray player. That way I would get a few films from the library and then those were my choices - “Michael Clayton”, some Iranian film or just watch “Silence of the Lambs” again…
