Well, it is a sad day in America. My favorite mom n' pop video store is finally closing at the end of the month. I knew this day would come, but it doesn't make it any less painful. I've been going there for 15 years. Most people I know, I haven't even stayed friends with for that long. The head lady shook my hand and told me I'm a great, responsible kid. She's just one of those genuinely nice people. It's a weird feeling. I hate that they have to close. I hate the downside of what technology is doing to us. I rented a movie on Thursday. Last night I bring it back and half the movies in there are gone. DVDs are 6 bucks and VHS are 3 bucks. Some might say that's a little high. I don't care. I go there every October and rent the shit out of the horror movies for a dollar a piece. Owning them for 2 dollars more isn't too bad. I feel like I'm owning a part of history. Luckily no one is as troubled as me, and mostly just bought up the newer dvds (so far), while I attacked the old school horror. Though I did hear one lady sound pretty dissapointed because she couldn't find 'Basket Case'
Here's what I nabbed so far, I'm sure I'll be getting some more. Most of these are so old school, these "new" VHS images don't even do them justice. A tribute to the great Treasure Chest Video...

DVD:

Indianapolis?

That's some pretty nice stuff right there. I don't suppose they had an old VHS copy of Night of the Creeps did they?

It's sad but these places are definitely going away. Blockbuster started it and now Netflix will finish them off. I try to support the one local place that's still open here but all they carry is full screen dvd's. The old school VHS horror is the only reason to go in there anymore. And imagine their operating costs versus Netflix. They probably don't have to pay rent, employees to cover all hours, it's probably just some dude with a bunch of dvd's and a scanner in his basement.

The joints around Austin are doing alright, probably because we have that whole "support local business" thing. Personally, I use Netflix.

Don't think they had Night Of The Creeps. Never seen that actually.

Yeah, she was saying how it was three enemies that did her in Netflix, Comcast, and someone else. Blockbuster isn't even that big of a deal. they held their own pretty good against them for a while. And I predict blockbuster will close in a few years. It's not just the fact that you can download shit so easily from your computer or tv, but people are also just stealing that shit for free of the internet. How do you compete with free?
I have to commend them for still getting in new dvds though, even though they are closing. They other day I rented There Will Be Blood, and Walk Hard.

People have been saying that for years. Blockbuster is like the zombies in Return of the Living Dead. It cannot be stopped.

It's a slow burn, but it'll happen. Hell it took my place a good 15 years.

A blockbuster near me already closed, so I go to a different one. They're already selling off a bunch of movies at low prices. Plus the whole "no late charge" thing. They're on shaky ground and they know it. They won't be able to keep up with buying all the new technology people want, like blu ray, and at the same time keep up with downloaders. It's impossible.

Supposedly Blockbuster is talking about merging with Circuit City. I don't know much about stocks but I know BB stock was maybe $2 or so a share and CC was $4.58 or something. Either way, not good.

BB will morph with the times. Actually it's more like the blob thing in The Abyss, only evil.

Blockbuster should consider lowering their prices if they want to see me come through their doors more. To rent a video game is almost 12 fucking dollars now. Renting a movie is 6 or 7. It almost seems like every time i go in there their prices have gone up.

Fun fact: Blockbuster charges more for movies in areas with a high Latino and Black population, as they are "high theft areas."

Like, say, The Blob?

No, BB would have to be CGI.

BB is only 4 or 5 bucks for a rental near my house.

There used to be three or four around USC, but they turned into laundromats. You had to go to West LA or Hollywood to find a Blockbuster.

See, they're closing. It's just taking a while. Like someone with a really lame, weak form of cancer. But eventually it will kill him.

you must live in a white neighborhood

Blockbusters are closing because they have too many overhead costs to keep the brick & mortar shops open, what with Netflix, On Demand etc taking their business. But the company will most likely survive if they adjust to the changing landscape.

I refuse to go to blockbuster.

I was itching to watch a movie the other day, and an old movie at that, and they wanted to charge me 5 bucks for it, I was figuring it would be a couple bucks. I told them to go fuck themselves. I'm not paying 5 bucks to rent a movie that I can own for $7.50.

I'll just stick to the mom and pop stores. they usually have better selections of old movies anyway