Blockbuster/Hollywood Video Closings

[Brad]

How dos that song go?

Video killed the radio star... In-Demand killed the video store.

I noticed that blockbuster closed up its 90th and Maple Location, Hollywood closed its Papillion location.  The old blockbuster turned something else in fredrick square closed.  I am sure there is more.

[bbinks]

How dos that song go?

Video killed the radio star... In-Demand killed the video store.

I noticed that blockbuster closed up its 90th and Maple Location, Hollywood closed its Papillion location.  The old blockbuster turned something else in fredrick square closed.  I am sure there is more.

That plus most new movies are on DVD in as little as 6 months.  Plus stores like Wal-Mart have many good DVDs in their $5 and $7.50 selection.  Just yesterday I picked up Collateral Damage and Look Who's Talking for $5 each.  


I can't remember the last time I was in a video store.  Long enough to know that the majority of their selection was VHS.   You can probably buy for what the rental fees are now too.

[Uffda]

Long enough to know that the majority of their selection was VHS.  

 

That must have been a long time ago.

I tend not to buy DVDs. I think I only have about 4 that I own as I don't watch them more than once or twice.

I had found a DVD kiosk at Bakers on N 90th that you could rent a movie for $1 per night.  Just slide in your credit card and out pops the movie you selected. Unfortunately it was removed from that Bakers as it didn't generate much business.  BUT there are still ones at 132nd and Maple and I think 72nd and Ames.

[Brad]

...at Bakers on N 90th ......

I was so mad when I left there last week.  That place is only 6 blocks north of my house and I make it there about once a year, after last week, it may be more than a year this time.

[Big E]

Plus stores like Wal-Mart have many good DVDs in their $5 and $7.50 selection.  Just yesterday I picked up Collateral Damage and Look Who's Talking for $5 each.

Yeah, but what about the good movies?  

Anyone remember Applause by Big Fred's on 120th and Pacific?  Remember when you could rent laser discs there?  

Anyway, brick and mortar only video rental places are a dying breed - if not dead already.  Netflix and iTunes signaled that.  The only old-school renter I see surviving is Blockbuster, and that is because they adapted to the changing market.

Of course, it's all over when WalMart partners with Amazon and decides to get into the online rental and in-store combo game.

-Big E

[gisbuxfan]

I loved Applause video, it was the only video rental place you could get freshly, over buttered, popped popcorn! Oh, but is was good!

[thenewguy]

Plus stores like Wal-Mart have many good DVDs in their $5 and $7.50 selection.  Just yesterday I picked up Collateral Damage and Look Who's Talking for $5 each.  

I don't think i would necessarily consider them good movies  While they are watchable, they certainly should be in the $5 section of the store  In all seriousness, i think that another big reason rental stores are suffering are online rentals that can just be delivered to your house.  Anymore, a lot of people aren't going out on a spur of the moment to get a movie.  Our lives are busier, more routined, more planned, and therefor we can wait a day or 2 for DVDs to arrive in the mail.  For example: if my fiance and i want to have a movie night, we usually know a few days in advance if that's what we'd be doing because of our work schedules and so on.  Movie downloads are becoming increasingly popular, too.  These are different from DVR, because they are downloaded onto your computer and not the cable/satellite box on your tv (just to clarify for those who didn't know).  Having high speed internet, you could download a full movie in the time it takes to do the dishes and make the bed.  Plus, it's just too damn expensive to rent DVDs.  That's why i started buying them and collecting them years ago; now i have a boatload to choose from and if we do get spontaneous and want to watch a DVD i don't have to go anywhere.

[thenewguy]

Plus stores like Wal-Mart have many good DVDs in their $5 and $7.50 selection.  Just yesterday I picked up Collateral Damage and Look Who's Talking for $5 each.

Yeah, but what about the good movies?  

Anyone remember Applause by Big Fred's on 120th and Pacific?  Remember when you could rent laser discs there?  

Anyway, brick and mortar only video rental places are a dying breed - if not dead already.  Netflix and iTunes signaled that.  The only old-school renter I see surviving is Blockbuster, and that is because they adapted to the changing market.

Of course, it's all over when WalMart partners with Amazon and decides to get into the online rental and in-store combo game.

-Big E

Dammit Big E, you made some of the same points i was trying to make while i was typing up my blog  I'm slow to the punch.

[HskrFanMike]

Actually, the next innovation will be hooking an AppleTV or TiVO-like DVR to the internet and having programming downloaded overnight directly to you.  That will kill DVDs for the most part; NetFlix might survive if they alter their delivery method.  (Use internet instead of post office...)

This may also kill most of your cable TV channels as well, except for the ones that provide live programming (ESPN, News channels, etc.)  In the future, programming will just be dumped to your TV device directly and you'll choose what to watch.

[Uffda]

So what kind of time does it take to download a movie over the internet on a regular cable line?  I don't know as I have never done it.

[Brad]

So what kind of time does it take to download a movie over the internet on a regular cable line?  I don't know as I have never done it.

I have no idea, but I would guess if you get a movie off of cox in-demand, it would be about the same.  Its the same line and all?

[Uffda]

But wouldn't Cox in demand streaming video?  I don't know as I have never used that.

[Big E]

On-demand movies are like instantaneous Pay Per View.  You select "Buy" and it starts.  My guess is there's a central broadcasting server of some sort at Cox (or your cable provider) and it just fires up when you say so.  This is why the selection of on-demand is limited.

Downloading a movie is actually downloading a movie, and the selection is theoretically limited only to the number of movies ever made - assuming your service wants to license them all.

That's it in a nutshell.

-Big E

[nativeomahan]

Here's another thing to consider.  Cox will be expanding their Hi-Def lineup in the next few days.  Ever since I got my big hi-def TV last Christmas that's about all I watch, and it will be nice to see more popular channels like HGTV, Cinemax and the Food Network show up on Hi Def, along with all the sports channels that are already on Hi Def.

My guess is that by 2009 most cable channels will be offered on Hi-Def TV.

Now, if I could just punch a button on my remote control and pop myself off my sofa and into one of those luscious travelogues of the South Seas islands or the Caribbean this winter!

[Asten]

I loved Applause video, it was the only video rental place you could get freshly, over buttered, popped popcorn! Oh, but is was good!

I remember going to applause at Harvey Oaks Plaza so long ago we would rent a VCR from them cause the beta war hadn't even happened yet.  And renting Nintendo games there.  Then blockbuster bought them, prices doubled overnight..   *sigh*

[omahastylee459]

On-demand movies are like instantaneous Pay Per View.  You select "Buy" and it starts.  My guess is there's a central broadcasting server of some sort at Cox (or your cable provider) and it just fires up when you say so.  This is why the selection of on-demand is limited.

Downloading a movie is actually downloading a movie, and the selection is theoretically limited only to the number of movies ever made - assuming your service wants to license them all.

That's it in a nutshell.

-Big E

There are regional servers throughout the country that serve Cox customers.  When you go to chnl 998 and press select you are accessing this server.  There is only so much limited space on it so obviously you cant have an unlimited amount of movies on there.

[Big E]

There are regional servers throughout the country that serve Cox customers.  When you go to chnl 998 and press select you are accessing this server.  There is only so much limited space on it so obviously you cant have an unlimited amount of movies on there.

Holy |expletive|...  I was actually right about that?

-Big E

[Uffda]

DVD kiosk at Bakers

http://www.thenewrelease.com

Several Bakers stores have them

http://tinyurl.com/yoajh6

[the1wags]

Why is this in the rumors section?

[Brad]

Why is this in the rumors section?

I wasn't sure why they were closing, I was thinking some guests would chime in an give us some some more info about other video stores closing?

[Swift]

They're in the same category as newspapers.

I used to work and independent video store in San Francisco and it closed last year. Netflix is the main culprit (netflix is the sweetest thing to happen to movies since color, btw), but highspeed video downloads will hasten the process (you can stream movies through XBOX 360 to watch them on your tv, for example).

[Guest]

A while back, when I was looking at commercial spaces for rent, I noticed all the Hollywood Video spaces.  Are they even around anymore?  I was told they were looking to sub-lease all their spaces and would be closing up when they did (or the leases we up).

[Swift]

The one on Saddle Creek is still open, I think, but it's a little run down. The Blockbuster across the street is in fine condition though.

It's disappointing because Hollywood had a good selection of foreign, obscure and nc-17 (don't laugh, some of the best movies of the past 20 years have been nc-17).

[a42887]

All closed up.

[Uffda]

I mentioned the rental video cube at some of the Bakers stores --- http://www.thenewrelease.com/locations. ... &radius=15

I recently saw another one -- http://www.redbox.com/   -- The Red Box in a couple of HYVEE stores.

I have some times rented from the Bakers Kiosk but find a lot of movies already rented out. With Red Box I guess you can reserve the movie online and then go in and get it.

[Guest]

The redboxes are nice.  You can get 1-day rentals pretty much every day if you want with the free codes out on the net.

[Uffda]

where can i get the free codes?  

[theurge]

where can i get the free codes?  

http://www.insideredbox.com/index.php/codes

[Uffda]

thank you  :D

[bargainhunter]

Noticed this weekend that Hollywood video at 1823 W Broadway is closed.

http://www.loopnet.com/property/1552937 ... -BROADWAY/

[almighty_tuna]

on a related note, Blockbuster at 96th & Q is also closing up shop.

[thenewguy]

that's weird.  My wife and i drove by there saturday and it was opened, but had a bunch of stuff on the windows that said something about all dvd's $5.  She didn't let me go in, however.  That'd have been a good opportunity to expand my collection

[justnick]

on a related note, Blockbuster at 96th & Q is also closing up shop.

30th and Forest Lawn, too.

[Brad]

Netflix and In demand.

I saw the CB Hollywood video closed the other day and I had a good Idea for the location, but now I can't remember what it was.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Word on the street is that Hollywood Video is in pretty big financial trouble.

[thenewguy]

there used to be a romeos there.  I wish they'd have kept it: i love romeos.

[bbinks]

Hollywood on 32 and Ames is closed as well.

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

Hollywood Video has closed up shop in the Des Moines 'burb I live in as well.

[Coyote]

Hollywood Video closing

Hollywood Video will be closing its Bellevue location on Galvin Road in the near future, although a specific date has not been set. Earlier this month, Movie Gallery Inc., owner of the video movie rental chain, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, announcing it planned to close more than 800 stores, about a third of its total. Industry analysts have said the company is struggling with stiff competition as more and more people opt to rent movies online or via $1-per-night rentals at convenience and grocery stores across the country.

I presume this is the beginning of the end for video rentals stores.

[Stargazer]

So when is Level 3 going to start taking off... I would have guessed we'd have reached bandwidth utilization which would have seen them reaping the benefits by now.