The Last Time I Visit a Video Store?

I'm still fairly new to the area I am now living. We were driving last night, and I took note of a real, live, genuine video store. I commended on how cool that is, and how they are so few and far between these days.

Today we decided to take a visit there. Sure enough, it was the final day of its existence. In the dark last night we could not see the store closing signs.

We entered the store, and they were practically giving movies away. as low as eighty cents each. I looked through the whole place, and I ended buying a few Blu Rays--even though I currently do not own a player. I plan to do something about that very soon.

Anyway I chose Foxcatcher, Nebraska, and Superman: The Movie. I'm not much of a superhero guy, but I got the latter title for old time's sake.

As I was approaching the register, something occurred to me: Would this be the very last time I go through a line in a video store?

Sobering. My God, I spent so much time in video stores over the years. Especially in the 1980's. I lived right next door to an Erol's Video, and I spent hours in the place. Reading back covers, waiting to see what tapes would be returned by people coming and going, talking to the staff and other customers.

Video Stores were a huge business back in the mid-80's. One thing hasn't changed a bit from then to now...people love new things. Everyone was renting tapes, having movie parties, watching and talking about movies.

I always buddied up with the store managers. They give me screeners, held new releases for me on Tuesday when new ones went up for rental. It was great.

As the 90's came along and progressed, home video lost some of its sizzle. That newness had worn out, and gaming was becoming more advanced and was taking a chunk out of the industry. Then DVD came along, and that really put a ding in the video store business. The whole point of a DVD was to own the movie. For repeat viewings and to have ample time to explore the supplementary materials.

Blockbuster took over the rental market by the 90's, and many of the smaller stores withered under the competition. I hated that, but I did use Blockbuster now and then. Like Amazon today, it's difficult to completely abstain from doing business there.

Steaming was the final blow. Why bother to even own movies anymore? Just cue up whatever you want from Amazon, itunes, Netflix, or wherever, and watch anytime. As for the once-cherished supplementary materials, who cares anymore?

Some of us care. The true movie geeks of the world. The ones with huge movie collections, with stuff even we have never watched. The ones who, way back when, felt the obsessive need to duplicate just about every movie we ever rented. The ones who watch treasured movies the way some visit old friends.

I've always been a nostalgic person, yet I am coming to the realization that nostalgia can be deadly. It, if gone unrestrained, can poison the present. I'm learning. But, still, I miss video stores.

I've said it in these pages before, and I'll doubtless say it again. The internet has brought us many riches, but it has taken things away in return. Amazon, Facebook, Netflix, You Tube, etc, have reduced the significance of our local communities. I hate that.

And so I bid a sad farewell to the video store. This may not be the last hurrah for me as a video store customer, but it quite possibly is.