Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Blockbuster Video
Where was the store located?
Miami, Florida (United States)
When did you start shopping at this store?
1986
Describe your video store - what did it look like? What were its distinguishing
features?
It looked like a Blockbuster in a rather undistinguishable strip mall along US 1, the main road through south suburban Miami. The longer side faced a parking lot, the shorter side faced the road. Floor to ceiling windows, long aisles, very boxy, and as time went on the TVs grew bigger and louder. They also added more candy aisles and impulse buys circa 1990.
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?
They didn't know much about movies, but they had a big trusty database. Interactions weren't particularly memorable although my mom has a terrible memory for film titles and they could always figure out what she wanted.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
They offered concessions (i.e. popcorn, candy, etc.), film guides (Maltin, Ebert, and their own), video games, and entertainment magazines. In time, they expanded their selection and more agressively promoted the candy.
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
They were almost exclusively VHS. If they had Beta, I can't recall. Laserdiscs weren't popular until the early 90s. By then I was in college and rarely visiting the Blockbuster. From what I remember, the Laserdiscs were in a small section off to the side with a display that faced the parking lot.
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?
They had a large children's section in the middle of the store. They had a very tiny documentary section (maybe 50 titles) 1/3 of the way towards the wall. They integrate the occassional independent/small budget title with the rest of the new releases, comedies, dramas, etc. No X-rated films, this is Blockbuster after all.
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
We almost exclusively rented videos. Rarely did anyone in my family want to see something again and again. In those rare occassions (or when we were stumped for gift ideas), we'd buy videos for ourselves and each other.
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
In the 90s, it became louder and seemed brighter. They replaced the overhead TVs with larger overhead TVs. The clerks seemed less informed, but at the same time I was becoming more informed. The candy display seemed to grow and the signage over the bargain bins/ previously viewed movies became more conspicuous.
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
Yes.
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?
I got my first VCR as a college graduation gift (1995). It was a midlevel Sony, I imagine it cost a couple hundred bucks. It was reliable for 4 years, then I gave it away.
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
No.