Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Armchair Entertainment
Where was the store located?
Kilmarnock, (United Kingdom)
When did you start shopping at this store?
1988
Describe your video store - what did it look like? What were its distinguishing
features?
This store had a unique set up, instead of having video boxes out on display they had flat large cd like cases with the sleave thats usually found on the front and back of a video box. You would flip through them to find a film, and because the were cd like, they had a large selection as they did not take up much space.
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 store was owned by 2 guys who were buddies, they were very chatty and good at recommending different films for different tastes. They stocked some good b moves that were frequently rented by me, and we would develop an 'understanding' of the films i was into and they would know which ones to recommend. They are good at remembering different customers tastes.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
They pretty much just stuck to video rental. There was no frills or any other aspect of the store to make it any different. I guess i just liked the staff and the selection of videos they had.
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
Purely VHS
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?
Only rental and they had everything split into different genres. There were a few b-movie classics out on display in usually the horror section or sci-fi section, but there were some other kept behind the counter that for some reason were never put out on display.
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
Rented about 3-5 videos a week from them. They did not offer a retail service.
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
Nothing really... maybe thats why its not there any more!!
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
It was only open for about 7 years, the large video chains moved into town and killed it and a few other stores like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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?
It was my dad who first bought one for the house, and after much umm'ing and eh'ing he decided one a VHS player that BETA... Was a top loading tape deck that popped up so noisily. Think he just got it as it was the lastest 'must have' gadget!
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
First time we watched a video was in a hotel, we rented it from the reception and my mum and dad were going out for dinner and got us 'The Elephant Man' not realising what it was.... So theres me, my brother and my sister, watching the Elephant man in a hotel room getting scared shitless and when my folks came back they could not understand what our problem was!