Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Blockbuster
Where was the store located?
Silver Spring, 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?
Regular Blockbuster -- they all look the same!
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?
Again, employees/owners typically Blockbuster, but one memorable experience was when my wife and I received a bonus card from Discover for 20 free rentals at Blockbuster. The second or third time we used it, the employee asked whether we wanted her to hole-punch the card so we could keep track of how many more rentals we had on it. We told her, thank you, no, we'll just keep track. What an idiot! We'll keep using the card for as long as we can!
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
n/a
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
Basically only VHS and 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?
Childrens and exercise, yes. X-rated, no -- it is, after all, a Blockbuster!
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
Rent. Why buy when you can download it?
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, it is still open.
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?
Bought my first VCR at Wal-Mart in Arkansas in 1985.
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
I've rented a VCR and game consoles from various video stores over the past decade as I moved often and didn't always bring my components with me on a move.