# Are there still any video rental stores in business in your area?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 19, 2021, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789 "2021-10-19T21:28:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/21 "2021-10-20T15:45:12Z")
Lawrence KS has Liberty Hall Video, which is adjacent to Liberty Hall, an independent movie theater and live music venue.
We did have a Family Video a few years ago, but it closed and is now a liquor store, which I find kind of ironic and amusing.
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/22 "2021-10-20T16:03:39Z")
I don’t think there are any straight video rental places left in the greater Boston area. The last one I knew was in Marblehead, and that went belly-up a couple of years ago. You can still rent DVDs from the “Redboxes” at supermarkets and convenience stores, but I think you’re talking about non-automated sitres.
(Heck, it’s hard enough finding places that still sell DVDs. Newbury comics used to have awesome collections, but they no longer sell them. FYE had a decent collection, but they’re gone from the area. A few places like Best Buy and some Barnes and Noble stores still sell them, and Target sells relatively new or popular DVDs… And you can get a few at used record stores and some comic shops, and I still know of a few other places that sell them. But they’re hard to come by, especially any selling older or more obscure titles. It’s much easier to buy DVDs over the internet.)
as for rentals, there are a few niche stores. There’s a Kung Fu video rental in Boston, there was a place in Jamaica Plain, and I’ve seen stores renting Spanish-language DVDs or Russian DVDs or Chinese or other languages.
Heck, even all the adult DVD places seem to be gone.
You know where you can still borrow DVDs? Most of the local libraries still have small collections. And still sell old used ones.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/23 "2021-10-20T16:33:11Z")
None that I’ve seen in Honolulu. But googling tells me there is one left, but it looks like they deal mostly in video games.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/24 "2021-10-20T19:40:14Z")
11 posts were split to a new topic: [Off-Topic observation in Cafe thread about Video Stores](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-topic-observation-in-cafe-thread-about-video-stores/952843)
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### Author:  [@Mavis\_Topholese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mavis_Topholese)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/27 "2021-10-20T17:24:01Z")
as veryfrank mentioned earlier, Bay St. Video in Toronto is still renting. Further to the west in Toronto, Eyesore Cinema (1176 Bloor), is also still renting DVDs and retailing DVDs and Blu-Rays, along with hosting the occasional screening of cult, independent, and offbeat films and video.
I believe Eyesore is run by a former Suspect employee who worked at their Queen West store, which burned down in 2008.
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### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/31 "2021-10-20T19:09:21Z")
Yeah, “memories” would be “Boy, I remember Hollywood Slim’s Cine-Hut. Slim had all these great old movies. They had the best staff and used to have classes about…”
Not “There was one named X and they closed a year ago.” That’s just an elaboration on the “No”
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/36 "2021-10-20T19:25:08Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> I don’t think there are any straight video rental places left in the greater Boston area. The last one I knew was in Marblehead, and that went belly-up a couple of years ago.
I visited Boston a couple of years ago and there was a coffee shop/video rental store that was in business then. They did have a few shelves of videos for rent but I feel their main focus was selling coffee and the videos were just a gimmick to draw in customers.
I can’t remember their name now and I didn’t find them with a quick google search so I suspect they’ve since closed.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/38 "2021-10-20T19:27:44Z")
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/39 "2021-10-20T19:29:28Z")
**Modding** : OK, enough with the observance that the OP was ignored and whether another poster is Modding or not. Back to the actual thread please.
I’m trying to figure out what to do with this odd hijack especially as so many posts did ignore the OP.
Saying No and a small elaboration doesn’t seem out of line.
* * *
A couple of specifics:
@Martin_Hyde: Your post really doesn’t belong in the thread and was liekly and did indeed derail the thread.
@CalMeacham: clearly you only read the title, the OP mentioned RedBox and libraries. Maybe read the OP next time, I’ve made the same mistake.
* * *
I’m going to take **Martin\_Hyde** ’s post and its replies and split them off. I’m just trying to figure out where.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/40 "2021-10-20T19:40:30Z")
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/41 "2021-10-20T19:48:24Z")
As long as I am here …
No, not one is left in my county of over 600,000 people.
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### Author:  [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/42 "2021-10-20T19:52:16Z")
Does Facets still rent out videos at their store?
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/43 "2021-10-20T19:58:59Z")
> [@adhemar](#):
>
> Memphis has Black Lodge Video although they are struggling these days. I think they specialize in genre videos such as Science fiction, and locally produced movies.
I plan on driving through Memphis in a few months. I might have to make a stop.
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### Author:  [@Lavender\_Pebble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lavender_Pebble)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/44 "2021-10-20T20:32:29Z")
Vulture Video (formerly Plan 9) in Bloomington, IN is still around. I went there Saturday for Video Store Day (like Record Store Day, but for video). They are hanging on for dear life, though. They have a small room in the back with theatre seats where they show films sometimes.
Videodrome in Atlanta is also still alive, I went there a few weeks back when I was in town for an event.
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### Author:  [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/45 "2021-10-20T20:33:09Z")
> [@veryfrank](#):
>
> In Toronto we’ve still got Bay St. Video, which is both a rental and sales place. It’s also right smack in the middle of downtown, near Yorkville, so unless you’re on public transit, it’s a nightmare to get to.
> [@Mavis\_Topholese](#):
>
> as veryfrank mentioned earlier, Bay St. Video in Toronto is still renting. Further to the west in Toronto, Eyesore Cinema (1176 Bloor), is also still renting DVDs and retailing DVDs and Blu-Rays, along with hosting the occasional screening of cult, independent, and offbeat films and video.
I’m surprised none of you Toronto folks mentioned Videoflicks, on Avenue Road in the north part of the city. It’s an independently owned video store that started up long before the big chains, and is still around. I haven’t been there in years but I used to love it when I lived in the area.
I think the reason it survived is that it’s owned by a couple who are real movie fans. The upstairs is a fairly conventional video rental store, but go down into the basement and man, it’s like a trip to the past. You first get hit with the wafting scent of popcorn (help yourself, it’s free!) and then get to explore a treasure trove of classic old movies and TV shows, most of which I’m sure are long out of print. Everything upstairs has to compete with digital downloads, streaming, pay-per-view, etc. But the lower level is unique and I’m guessing a large part of what keeps it going. Plus, to add to their other virtues, the place has always been dog-friendly, even providing water dishes for our thirsty canine friends. 🙂
As I said, I haven’t been there in years and some things might have changed, particularly in the era of COVID.
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### Author:  [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/46 "2021-10-20T20:43:34Z")
I was gonna nominate [I Luv Video in Austin](https://www.statesman.com/story/news/coronavirus/2020/09/24/as-austinrsquos-i-luv-video-closes-owner-tries-to-keep-film-library-alive/114129144/), but it seems they closed last year. Pandemic influenced, but not because of business - they actually saw a surge of customers and rentals. Their landlord put the property on the market, and the owner didn’t think the business could continue as it had in the past.
I have a friend who’s a cinephile, wants to watch the original version of a film with the original cut and soundtrack, etc. So I know he would go to I Luv Video rather than stream a film on Netflix.
Bummer, it was one of the “Keep Austin Weird” type of hangouts that are rapidly disappearing from my town…
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### Author:  [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/47 "2021-10-20T21:23:24Z")
Based on google maps only giving redbox locations in the results for a “video rental” search I’m going to go with No.
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### Author:  [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/48 "2021-10-20T21:43:00Z")
Yes, there is.
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### Author:  [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/49 "2021-10-20T22:06:42Z")
Google maps says 35 miles away in a whole other city from the major US city I live adjacent to. Without thinking of any specifically, I guessed there would be three or four within 12 miles of me. It seems not.
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### Author:  [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2021, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-any-video-rental-stores-in-business-in-your-area/952789/50 "2021-10-20T22:31:43Z")
Yes. We have a Mom-and-Pop Video rental/coffee shop/laundromat place called “Film Festival,” with free WiFi that students can take advantage of while they do laundry. They’ve also got brownies and good cookies to carry home for movie treats, like when we watched _A Quiet Place_ on DVD the othernight.
Tripler
It’s just up the street from me–I’m looking at it out the window now. . .
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