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Related: About this forum"Why are you still here?": Inside the last Blockbuster in America
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Why are you still here?: Inside the last Blockbuster in America
By Alex Horton July 16 at 8:26 AM [link:alex.horton@washpost.com|Email the author]
A man parked his motorcycle on the sidewalk Saturday morning, ruining the aesthetic of the last remaining Blockbuster in the contiguous United States. ... You cant park there, general manager Sandi Harding told the man as he walked into the store in Bend, Ore. People are trying to take pictures. ... The man paused for a beat. There was confusion in his response. ... Trying to take pictures?
Somehow he had missed the past decade, when Blockbuster the video rental behemoth became Blockbuster the fallen victim of modernity. ... In 2004, at the companys peak, 9,000 Blockbuster outlets studded city blocks and suburban strip malls nationwide, a onetime indelible fixture of the family movie night. But soon after, Netflix, Redbox and the cold march of digital progress eroded the customer base at each store.
{snip link to something else}
Thousands of Blockbuster stores were shuttered through the beginning of July, leaving only three: two in Alaska, and one in Bend. ... Those Alaska locations closed Sunday, leaving Hardings store on NE Revere Avenue as the last surviving Blockbuster outpost fighting to keep its doors open.
Every day, even before this, people would drive by and see the Open sign and say, Oh my gosh. How are you still here? Why are you still here? Harding told The Washington Post in a Saturday phone interview as her store buzzed with activity, including the arrival of the oblivious motorcyclist in the central Oregon city.
....
Inside the Blockbuster store in Bend, Ore. (Sandi Harding)
....
Alex Horton is a general assignment reporter for The Washington Post. He previously covered the military and national security for Stars and Stripes, and served in Iraq as an Army infantryman. Follow https://twitter.com/AlexHortonTX
Why are you still here?: Inside the last Blockbuster in America
By Alex Horton July 16 at 8:26 AM [link:alex.horton@washpost.com|Email the author]
A man parked his motorcycle on the sidewalk Saturday morning, ruining the aesthetic of the last remaining Blockbuster in the contiguous United States. ... You cant park there, general manager Sandi Harding told the man as he walked into the store in Bend, Ore. People are trying to take pictures. ... The man paused for a beat. There was confusion in his response. ... Trying to take pictures?
Somehow he had missed the past decade, when Blockbuster the video rental behemoth became Blockbuster the fallen victim of modernity. ... In 2004, at the companys peak, 9,000 Blockbuster outlets studded city blocks and suburban strip malls nationwide, a onetime indelible fixture of the family movie night. But soon after, Netflix, Redbox and the cold march of digital progress eroded the customer base at each store.
{snip link to something else}
Thousands of Blockbuster stores were shuttered through the beginning of July, leaving only three: two in Alaska, and one in Bend. ... Those Alaska locations closed Sunday, leaving Hardings store on NE Revere Avenue as the last surviving Blockbuster outpost fighting to keep its doors open.
Every day, even before this, people would drive by and see the Open sign and say, Oh my gosh. How are you still here? Why are you still here? Harding told The Washington Post in a Saturday phone interview as her store buzzed with activity, including the arrival of the oblivious motorcyclist in the central Oregon city.
....
Inside the Blockbuster store in Bend, Ore. (Sandi Harding)
....
Alex Horton is a general assignment reporter for The Washington Post. He previously covered the military and national security for Stars and Stripes, and served in Iraq as an Army infantryman. Follow https://twitter.com/AlexHortonTX
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"Why are you still here?": Inside the last Blockbuster in America (Original Post)
mahatmakanejeeves
Jul 2018
OP
Our Blockbuster here died many years ago ...but a local video rental business is doing just fine
Farmer-Rick
Jul 2018
#3
underpants
(182,273 posts)1. I think there's one in Alaska too
Jon Oliver did a bit about it.
And then, there's this. Quite funny
https://mobile.twitter.com/loneblockbuster?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
rownesheck
(2,343 posts)2. makes me sad.
best job i ever had.
I miss it mightily.
Farmer-Rick
(10,072 posts)3. Our Blockbuster here died many years ago ...but a local video rental business is doing just fine
They give out little treats with every movie you rent. They willingly waive overdue charges if you ask. The people are the friendliest. They have speciels 5 for $5 for 5 days. They hire theater majors and you can get a mini personal review on every movie...they just try harder.