Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Video Vibrations
Where was the store located?
Calgary, Alberta (Canada)
When did you start shopping at this store?
1986
Describe your video store - what did it look like? What were its distinguishing
features?
Video Vibrations was located in a fairly standard circa-1980s stripmall, with a 7-11, pizza joint, etc. It was the kind of locale kids hung around outside at all hours of the day (getting progressively older as the hour grew later). There wasn't much to distinguish the store itself - empty tape boxes lined the walls and shelves, divided by category (including the forbidden "adult" video room!). In the 80s they had beta. All the videos themselves were kept behind the counter.
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?
There were two employees in particular whom I remember. One was a middle-aged man who was really mean to young kids - and I'm not talking teenagers (like me) who might cause trouble, but 10 or 11-year-olds. Because I was at the store fairly regularly, the clientel became familiar. I remember one day this young kid (who came in all the time and this guy generally gave a really hard time) came back with a defective tape...only he brought his father with him, who was like 6'6" and 250lbs! I had never seen the clerk so prompt, courteous and attentive! The other was a very sweet young girl with black hair, a little older than me, who I had a huge crush on. Alas, my video vixen will forever remain out of reach.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
Just videos to begin with, but as larger "super stores" and chains began to set up in the city, they added snacks and soda (and, for a few months, brought in an antique-style popcorn machine). I think they even sold cigarettes towards the end. When the store finally closed down, I heard a rumor part of the reason was backlash from selling cigarettes to minors.
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
The store was predominantly VHS, but had some beta (which was phased out). They never had laser disk. I remember that all the VHS tapes were organized by category, but the beta tapes were kind of lumped together.
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?
The store had an adult section in a seperate room - which I was too young to consider. They had a good selection of children's tapes. A few years before the store closed down, they moved the children's tapes to a new section inside a mock-castle.
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
Rent. And rent, and rent and rent. To be honest, I don't think they ever offered videos for sale (or if they did, the selection was limited).
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
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?
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?