Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Futura Video
Where was the store located?
Denbigh, (United Kingdom)
When did you start shopping at this store?
1985
Describe your video store - what did it look like? What were its distinguishing
features?
The main feature of Futura was that it was run out of the Local Cinema. Oringinally the owner just stocked the vids next to the boxoffice. After a while he moved the whole thing upstairs. Nowadays its run out of a small room in the cinema along with aload of second hand funiture.The rest of the building is slowly crumbling, damp, cold and really smells quite bad
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 owner Lewis is a complete nuttjob, comes across as a very strange person. But the guy loves movies and neverthrows anything out.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
It also used to be a cinema and there was a bar for a bit
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
Don't remember, but probably both.
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 everything and still do. Used to rent a movie weekly.
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
Rent, mainly cos i was still quite young.
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
It changed from beig a couple of shelves next to the box office to a dedicated room in another area of the cinema. It moved again to be part of the bar area and is still there now.
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
yes still open, just about anyway.
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?
Our first VCR was an Amstrad that my dad bouht from Rumbelows.
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
No.