Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Blockbuster
Where was the store located?
Rockville, Maryland (United States)
When did you start shopping at this store?
1996
Describe your video store - what did it look like? What were its distinguishing
features?
It has yellow and blue lettering all around because it is a Blockbuster. It has new releases around the walls and then the older types of movies in the aisles in the center of the store. It has the movies categorized by subject area (comedy, drama, action, etc.) It has the registers at the front of the store. There are a few TVs throughout the store showing previews or clips for various movies. There are also some food items on sale near the front of the store (popcorn, candy, and soda).
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 were pretty dull. They all wear Blockbuster uniforms with the blue and yellow. They don't really talk to you much and it is often difficult to get them to help you with anything. They don't seem to know where stuff is in the store. I don't have any memorable experiences with them.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
They sell food at the front of the store (candy, soda, and popcorn). They have always done that but the variety of candy has grown over time. They also let you rent VCR's and other equipment. That is a newer thing but it is not something that is advertised. You can do it if you know about it, but you have to ask. They also recently (in the past few years or so) started selling little stuffed animals and trinkets for some of the best-selling movies. They sell those at the front of the store. There is also the advent of the Blockbuster gift card. That has become a big thing that they have started to advertise a lot more.
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
They just had VHS tapes when I started going. (The video store I went to with my mom when I was a kid had VHS and Beta but the Beta is no longer there). In the last year or so I have seen the DVD displays increase. At first, they had a separate shelf for DVD's but a majority of the store was VHS tapes. Now, they have the DVD's and the VHS tapes interspersed on the wall and I would say that it is only 60% VHS and 40% DVD.
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?
There are children's videos, exercise videos, travel videos, and foreign films in the store. They are on their own shelves in the middle of the aisle displays. I don't usually rent or purchase them.
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
I have purchased about a half dozen videos. Usually, I will buy a video after I have rented it and know that I like it. Alternatively, if the video is on sale for $4.99 and it is a movie that I was going to rent, I would buy it because it is basically the same price.
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
The influx of DVD's was a definite change. They also put more TV's showing previews in the store.
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?
The first VCR/video player that we had was a Beta that my mom got. I don't know where she got it or why.
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
no