Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Hoffmans TV & Video
Where was the store located?
Aiea, Hawaii (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?
The store went thru 2 phases. The original store was small (of course). TV's & VCR's galore drapped around the tiny establishment on one end of the store. Swooshing around on the other end had all the Betamax Movies & VHS Movies displayed. I was a teenager as I couldnt help peeking at the porn tapes. Also during the early 80's MTV was the thing to watch. I would sneak over and turn one of the TV monitors to MTV & oogle at various music videos that would come on. The clerks of the store didn't mind. I was there almost everyday. When Hoffman's moved to their second/bigger location it was located right across from where I lived at the time. SUPER! I was there seemingly 24/7. Their newest location expanded & was more spacious. They had this card system of where u brought up the card to whatever movie u wanted to rent. But what sucked was the hot titles was limited to one or two per title. I remember when "Purple Rain" hit video that I was at that store EVERYDAY obsessing I want this movie! Evrery so often Hoffamn's have an inventory sale where they slash prices on TV's, VCR's & the works....
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?
The clerks were always friendly. They knew me by name cause like I mentioned previously I hanged out at the store A LOT. I often suggested titles that I thought would do well for the store.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
No, I never had that opportunity
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
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?
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
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?
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?