Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Blockbuster
Where was the store located?
Shaker Heights, Ohio (United States)
When did you start shopping at this store?
1990
Describe your video store - what did it look like? What were its distinguishing
features?
Well-organized and clean. It looked like your standard Blockbuster, so take that to mean it didn't have many distinguishing features other than ugly yellow walls. I guess I can give them props on the fact that the drop-box was very close to the sidewalk, making it easy to pop in an out of a car in sub-zero Cleveland temperatures to return a damn video.
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?
Some of them were people I knew from school, so the service was top-notch. A buddy of mine, Donald, would hook me up by calling me when a new, hot video came in and holding a copy for me at the desk.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
Same Blockbuster fare - used videos, popcorn, candy, magazines. Nothing special.
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
VHS only when I lived there, but I'm sure they have DVD now. They filled the store and were sectioned off by category.
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?
No X-rated videos, but it seemed they had a section for soft-core movies (Blown Away, Wild Orchid, etc., etc.). Odd.
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
Rent. I was lucky to be able to do that; I was in high school with no job.
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
None.
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?
My mom bought this monstrous VCR with a faux-wood finish around 1986 or so. It was one of those where the cassette loading mechanism would pop up to receive the tape, you know? OLD, my friend. For the longest time, we only owned two tapes - "Brewster's Millions" and "Ghostbusters." I know every damn line in each one of those movies. Guess that explains why I have a DVD library now, huh?
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
No, never needed to. When we needed a camera, we just bought one.