Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Movies Unlimited
Where was the store located?
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States)
When did you start shopping at this store?
1981
Describe your video store - what did it look like? What were its distinguishing
features?
MOVIES UNLIMITED had the largest selection of films on video in the country in the early eighties. It was wall to wall VHS and Beta tapes of new blockbusters and old classics. They also sold Super 8 films for a while after the dawn of home video. It was truly a great place to find movies.
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 employees varied; some were friendly, others were snobbish, and most were eccentric. They all had one thing in common: they loved movies, and knew quite a bit about their product. I used to have great conversations with one of the guys there about Universal Horror Classics and modern(at the time) blockbusters like the STAR WARS Trilogy, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and the Christopher Reeve SUPERMAN films.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
They sold Super 8mm home movie digests(abridged versions of old monster movies and stuff like BEN HUR), books and magazines on film and blank video tapes.
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
VHS was the most popular and was kept up front; Beta was less prominent but could be found in the back of the store. They added Laserdisc in the mid eighties.
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 every conceivable kind of tape, but I only rented regular feature films.
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
I started to when the prices came down in 1983; my first tape purchase was STAR TREK 2: THE WRATH OF KHAN.
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
Around 1986 Beta was less and less available. Laserdiscs were added in the mid eighties.
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
Yes, they still do good business and they still have a nice inventory. But competition has made them less eclectic.
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 received my first VCR-an RCA VHS deck-as a Christmas present from my parents in 1981. It was the old fashioned kind of player with a top deck and big piano keys. My parents purchased it for me because I was an avid film buff.
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
No.