Whither the Video Store?

The NY Times Business section has an article about how video stores have been predicted to fail ever since the mid-1980s. And then Gothamist wondered how much longer the video stores in the city would last. Ever since we had that incident with some small children and their parents at the local Blockbuster (those were our Twizzlers!), Gothamist has been Netflixing (when we get around to it) our DVD rentals or buying them on impulse at Best Buy ("Oh, my God, it's the third season of Columbo!"), but video stores like Movie Place on West 105th and Kim's on St. Mark's are great resources for those hard to find foreign films or films that are only available on video. Do you find yourself buying more and/or Netflixing DVDs or are you still visiting your local video place?

Gothamist on the mean Kim's closing and the Brooklyn's Reel Life, aka the Championship Vinyl of video stores. And on our wish list: The Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers Collection (Vol. 1), Undeclared, America's Next Top Model Cycle 1, Francois Truffaut's Antoinel Doinel DVD collection from Criterion (Hello, Jean-Pierre Leaud). We're also found of Nicole Holofcener's Walking and Talking, as it has pre-Ellen Anne Heche and a sweet depiction of a video store clerk whom Catherine Keener nicknames "Ugly Guy."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts & Entertainment on August 23, 2005 5:09 PM

Comments [rss]

dude

That's too bad about Videomania. They did sort of suck, but it's better than Blockbuster, and they had porno, which is always a plus.

Kim's bugs me, especially when you try to sell back a DVD you bought FROM them; they usually scoff and say, "We don't buy that". TLA Video is way better, the people are nicer, and the porno section is less creepy than Kim's.

Smith Street in Brooklyn also has that crappy DVD store, and Hole in the Wall on Court Street is okay but inconvenient. Netflix has been the best option for a while - especially if you live with your girlfriend or have a roomate with similar movie tastes.

Colin

As long as we're ringing in on Video stores, let's not forget

World of Video in the West Village. That store's been around longer than most...they used to rent friggin' beta (not to mention laser discs) and have never gotten rid of anything! You want the entire Charles Bronson ouvre? They probably have it. Or maybe Cassavetes' Johnny Staccato? They probably have that too.

jizzbomb

YaY. I hate kim's it's so dirty and hipster infested. Go to TLA video. they have a great selection of PORNO! cause that's all I'll ever rent from a video store. that and THE WIZARD with a young Jenny Lewis from Rilo Kiley.

benny

There is a new trend hitting these shores. Already huge in Europe, DVD renting kiosks are are about to blow up. A company called moviebank is trying to enter the rental market aggressively, they just opened their fist stand alone store on Houston and West Bway. They are open 24 hours, are cheap down to .99 I think. I've been hitting the one on houston hard, perfect for the impulse rental.

smitty

tower video is still pretty decent. you can rent new releases for $1.49 during the week (wednesdays and thursdays I think?) and they are fairly cheap for renting everything else.

Dave H.

While the standard plan at Netflix is 3-at-a-time for $18/month, you can ratchet that down to as little as unlimited rentals per month, but only one at a time, for $10/month. Then there are intermediate plans in between. For more occasional renters, this should take the pressure off a Netflix membership. After enjoying the convenience and selection of Netflix--not to mention getting to see how your friends rated movies--I can't imagine ever entering a video store again, let alone a stupid Blockbuster. The Video Room on the UES does kick ass though.

Gurgly

The Videomania on Smith Street is closing. They said their rent more than doubled. Granted, it's always sucked, but unless I want to walk like four miles to rent Scary Movie 3, the only option left is Blockbuster! And I've had Netflix, but I can't deal with the pressure: I feel like I have to watch movies constantly to make it worth it.

R J Keefe

Just because the Video Room is at 84th and Third is no reason to omit it from lists of important video institutions in Manhattan. Nothing could tempt me to forsake my membership. (There is also a Battery Park City branch.)

I am not an employee or a shill, just a Gothamite who seriously depends upon the Video Room for videos that can't be obtained otherwise - not to mention the new-release stuff.

Ten years ago, my knee gave out and I was onfined to home on the eighteenth floor for a month. I gave myself a ripping film education, rounding out all the lacunae, from Bicycle Thief to In Name Only

ianqui

The kim's on Bleecker closed. Now where am I supposed to go? Crappy Tower or stupid Blockbuster? Netflix doesn't make as much sense for people who only rent occasionally. I miss my video store.

kowgurl

I find myself going to my local video store (reel life, woohoo!) less and less. Last time I was there the skinny guy tried to charge me a late fee for something that they hadn't bothered to get out of the box outside from the day before. And he was actaully telling the chick in front of me about his screenplay and going to see the replacements back in the day. I havent been back , but I haven't killed anyone either so I guess that's good...