Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
can't remember...sorry!
Where was the store located?
Wayne, Pennsylvania (United States)
When did you start shopping at this store?
1984
Describe your video store - what did it look like? What were its distinguishing
features?
It was in a small house that had been refinished for a store on the first floor. The floor had a simple green rug, as I recall, and the walls were where the video boxes were--they were all empty and all VHS. There were also a few standing racks with smaller sections (kids, documentaries, etc., but these were quite small compared to today's--2004's--standards). The center of the store was like a long aisle, and it led to the checkout counter where the owner usually sat. Behind him and the counter were the videos, all in brown cases with the names of the films on spine labels.
What were the employees and/or owners like, and what kinds of interactions
did you have with them? What particularly memorable exchanges or events
do you remember?
There were very few employees, as I recall, because the owner and his wife were almost always behind the counter. The owner, Tony, got to know his customers and there were no cards to carry...once you were on file (I believe it was an index card file, in fact), you simply had to walk to the counter and he'd write down the info on the index card. He knew us all. My brother and I were the ones who usually rented videos (though my Mother was the person on the card), and if we tried to rent R rated videos, Tony or his wife would check the index card to see if we were allowed to rent them (I was, my younger brother wasn't). Also, although we often racked up late fees, Tony often allowed us to continue renting without paying, sometimes without paying for the initial rentals, in fact. He had gotten to know my mother and knew that we were a single-parent home with few economic resources and he took great pity on us. I think once my brother and I even lost a film and Tony waived the cost--he made it clear he was unhappy, as I recall, but he knew that we couldn't pay. I remember my Mother having several hard conversations with Tony where he'd take pity on us. Not fun for my Mother, but Tony did his best to show that he was looking out for us kids and for her financial situation. He seemed to believe (rightly so!) that movies were for everyone, even those who weren't able to pay for them. Incidentally, most of the other local families had cable tv (this was in the 80s) and we didn't, and somehow, Tony knew this.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
None, but I believe that after I moved away I heard that he partnered briefly with a pizza place for a dinner-and-a-movie venture. Not long after, a Blockbuster moved in down the street and the store was gone.
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
Just VHS. I don't know if he got around to DVD before the store closed, but probably not.
In addition to mainstream Hollywood movies, what other kinds of videotapes
(for example children's, exercise, or X-rated) did the store rent/sell? Where were these
videos found in the store, and how often did you rent or purchase them?
See previous answer. There were very few categories other than drama and comedy. No x-rated section.
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
We never heard of buying videos and at the time (the 1980s), videos were expensive. Renting seemed the only option.
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
See previous answer....Tony seemed to be trying to hang in there when changes occurred, but I believe the Blockbuster (or it's impending arrival) killed the store.
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
No, sadly. It probably closed in the early 90s (after opening in the early 80s).
In your own words, tell the story of your first VCR/video player. Where
and when did you buy it, and why did you decide to make the purchase?
It was given to us by a family friend, perhaps out of concern for us kids who were often home alone while Mom worked. He gave us a few videos he owned, and of those, the only one I can remember is "Terms of Endearment." I remember watching that video over and over again because it was all we had if we didn't have the money to get to the video store (or if we were afraid Tony would be mad that we couldn't pay our bill).
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
Only once, but it was at a hotel that also rented video tapes, and this was many years ago in the early 90s. Since then, I've always owned my own VCR and DVD player.